The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell admits that Michael Carrick’s position as Man Utd head coach is “beginning to feel precarious”.

Man Utd had a great second half of last season under Carrick as the former midfielder led the Red Devils to a third-placed finish in the Premier League and qualification for the Champions League.

However, Carrick has not had the start to the new season he’d have hoped for with Man Utd taking just six points from their opening six matches, ahead of a clash with arch-rivals Leeds on Sunday.

Man Utd lost 2-0 to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek to further heap the pressure on Carrick, while they exited the Carabao Cup to Brighton at Old Trafford before the international break.

There is no suggestion that Man Utd are looking to sack Carrick but even some of the top journalists in the country amid it isn’t looking great for the ex-Middlesbrough boss.

During a Q&A on The Athletic, Andy Mitten, Cerys Jones and Whitwell have given their views on the current situation at Man Utd.

When asked how much pressure they believe Carrick is under, Mitten started: “You’re always under pressure to win at United and Carrick knows that’s a privilege from his time as a player. Some fans lost patience with him after the home loss against Leeds in April, despite seven wins in United’s previous 10 matches.

“It feels like we’ve seen this film so many times before, though I have no evidence that he’s about to be sacked. Fans are weary from repeatedly changing managers, but he desperately needs results.”

Jones added: “Like Andy says, patience runs thin quickly among United fans. Despite supporters being sick of this managerial merry-go-round, and many believing the problems go far beyond Carrick, that will not stop them from turning on him in the face of poor results. Some already have.

“He is already under a lot of pressure from the stands, but we learned from the downward spiral under Ruben Amorim (finishing 15th, Grimsby, defeat by 10-man Everton… I could go on) that the decision-makers seem willing to put up with a lot before pulling the trigger.”

‘Carrick’s position is beginning to feel precarious’ at Man Utd – Whitwell

Before Whitwell concluded: “I don’t believe there is an appetite to change head coach — and there are strong arguments that a new man in the dugout is unlikely to spark significant improvement — but Carrick’s position is beginning to feel precarious. He needs a win or two, quickly. If he goes, attention will turn to the hierarchy for overseeing a third mid-season change in a row.”

On whether Carrick has what it takes to turn things around at Man Utd, Mitten said: “I hope so — and Carrick thinks he has, which is important. But he’s also working without the same resources as some of United’s rivals and the club aren’t getting their first-choice targets. He’s also only been in the job for nine months, so he is working with a load of players he didn’t sign.

“I’ve seen coaches eyeing exit doors in the past and engineering their own departures. In Carrick, I see a United fan who lives locally, whose son plays for the club, who wants to do his very best and who is hurting at the start of the season. He has belief in his players, too.

“Will that be enough? Not if the poor form continues, but he always knew there would be blips — it’s just that this one has come at the start of the season.”

Jones: “I genuinely don’t know. Last season he raised morale, brought out the best in individual players, and wasn’t afraid to rewrite tactics that weren’t working — everything United need now.

“But that was when he was solving problems created by the coach before him. What would help is some evidence he can fire up a consistently underperforming team — something he didn’t have to do as interim last season — but his inscrutable nature in front of the media makes it very hard to tell what conversations he is having behind the scenes.”

Whitwell: “I can understand Cerys’ reservations but I feel Carrick has the steel for solving this situation. He found tactical plans that triggered huge uplift last term and he has been here as a player. But he also needs to tap into the players psychologically, ensuring they are sharp to beat their opponents from the first minute.”