According to a report by GOAL on Monday November 9, 2026, former Manchester United defender Phil Neville has delivered a brutal assessment of the club's defensive options, naming four players he believes could get the Red Devils relegated if they continue playing together.

The former England international made the comments following Manchester United's disappointing 4-4 draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Despite recovering from two separate two-goal deficits to rescue a point, Michael Carrick's team remain in the relegation zone, sitting 18th in the Premier League table with just eight points from 10 matches.

The result further exposed Manchester United's defensive weaknesses, with Aston Villa finding the back of the net four times during an entertaining encounter.

Speaking on NBC Sports alongside his brother Gary Neville, Phil identified Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu as the four defenders whose combination could put Manchester United's Premier League survival at risk.

The quartet finished Sunday's match together after Carrick made defensive changes during the second half.

Heaven replaced Harry Maguire at half-time, while Dorgu came on for Diogo Dalot in the 66th minute.

However, Phil was particularly unimpressed with the defensive options available to the Manchester United manager, questioning whether the players were good enough to form a reliable back four in the Premier League.

"That back four gets you relegated. That back four gets you the sack as a manager. And that back four cannot keep United, I don't think, in the Premier League," Phil Neville said.

"It's poor. It's not good enough to play in the Premier League."

His comments represent another major criticism of Manchester United's defensive performances, which have become a growing concern during their difficult start to the campaign.

Interestingly, Phil's brother Gary offered a different explanation for the club's defensive problems, directing his criticism towards the hierarchy and their recruitment strategy.

The former Manchester United captain believes the club failed to invest sufficiently in the defence during the summer transfer window, leaving Carrick without enough quality options at the back.

Gary argued that the team's problems cannot be separated from the decisions made by those responsible for assembling the squad.

"The reason Manchester United have conceded four goals is because they haven't invested in the defence in the transfer window," he said.

Manchester United's defensive statistics have also raised concerns, with Carrick's team conceding eight goals in their last three matches.

The Red Devils conceded twice in their 2-0 defeat against Chelsea before allowing two goals against Roma, although they eventually secured a 3-2 victory in that encounter.

Their defensive problems became even more apparent against Aston Villa, who scored four times at Old Trafford.

Alysson opened the scoring inside the first minute after goalkeeper Senne Lammens failed to keep out his effort, while Nicolas Jackson doubled Villa's advantage just three minutes later.

Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans subsequently brought Manchester United back into the contest before John McGinn and Leon Goretzka restored Villa's two-goal lead in the second half.

Substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu eventually scored late goals to secure a 4-4 draw.

Although the comeback prevented another defeat, it did little to improve United's position in the Premier League table.

The Red Devils have managed just one league victory this season, against Ipswich, and are currently enduring an eight-match winless run in the competition.

Carrick now faces an important period during the international break as he attempts to address the defensive problems and improve the team's position.