According to a report by Metro on Monday, November 9, 2026, Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has criticised Manchester United's defensive performances, warning that the club could be heading towards relegation following their disappointing start to the Premier League season.

Keown questioned Manchester United's defensive organisation after Michael Carrick's side surrendered two-goal deficits twice in their dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Alysson and Nicolas Jackson gave Villa an early advantage before Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans restored parity for the hosts before half-time.

However, John McGinn and Leon Goretzka scored shortly after the restart to put Villa 4-2 ahead. Manchester United eventually rescued a point through late goals from substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu.

Despite the comeback, the result extended United's disappointing run, leaving them 18th in the Premier League table with just eight points from their opening 10 matches.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Keown questioned whether United were taking their relegation situation seriously enough.

He described their defending as below the required standard and expressed concern about the lack of confidence across the backline.

The former England international also criticised the team's slow starts, pointing out that conceding multiple goals early in both halves had become a worrying feature of their performances.

Although he acknowledged the fighting spirit United demonstrated against Villa and in their midweek victory over Roma, Keown insisted that their defensive problems required urgent attention.

Meanwhile, Carrick maintained that individual mistakes and lapses in concentration were costing his team valuable points.

The Manchester United manager felt his players performed reasonably well for long periods against Villa but admitted that avoidable goals continued to undermine their efforts.

Carrick also highlighted the importance of improving concentration, confidence and decision-making, suggesting that his team had shown encouraging signs in recent matches.

He believes United are capable of winning more matches if they eliminate the mistakes that have repeatedly affected their performances.

The draw against Villa therefore leaves Carrick with significant defensive concerns to address during the international break, as Manchester United look to improve their results and move away from the relegation zone.