Following Manchester United's dismal afternoon against Bournemouth, which has put one nail in the coffin of Michael Carrick's tenure as manager, Gary Neville has come out in defence of the reigning boss and shifted the blame entirely onto the players.

The Manchester United boss has come under increasing scrutiny following the 0-3 defeat to Bournemouth, with Jamie Carragher going beyond simply calling for his dismissal by claiming that Carrick himself wants to be sacked.

Yet the Manchester United fan base continues to be divided by the possibility of replacing the Englishman and adding his name to a long list of failed managers that have cost the club £100M since Fergie.

Already, some fans online have called for his head and identified their number one choice for his replacement.

But Old Trafford faithfuls have voiced their opinion as Carrick's name was belted around the stadium at full time, followed by a chorus of boos directed to the players after the manager went down the tunnel.

That sentiment has now been echoed by Gary Neville.

Gary Neville defends 'brilliant' Michael Carrick

Taking to his podcast after the game, Neville claimed that the 'shocker' performance was yet another tale of the players putting in no effort.

But the former Manchester United man has also defended his ex-teammate, saying that he is suffering because the players have 'downed tools' despite the 'high-quality football' demands that Carrick has.

"Michael Carrick is a brilliant man," added Neville.

"He's a man of integrity, of credibility, of decency, of professionalism, of high-quality football and consistency and reliability. Everything the group of players in that dressing room aren't.

"And he's going to suffer for it because he's not been able to deliver. It's been too much for him in these last few months.

"He's not been able to get a tune out of them and they've turned on him.

"I know that because if Bruno has turned on him publicly, with that little statement, imagine what they're like behind the scenes.

"If that's your captain saying that, imagine what they're saying in the dressing room behind closed doors when no one's listening. That's horrific."

Neville continued to say that the club needs to stop making impulsive, 'poor' decisions, implying that discarding Carrick would be one.

"It's 14 years now without a Premier League title," he added.

"That will be another five or 10 before you know it because there are other clubs set up for success and Manchester United aren't.

"They are making poor decisions. From a business perspective, this is really damaging.

"It can't just be the manager again. There has got to be consequences above that. You can't keep letting the people pick the manager who keep getting it wrong."

The Sky Sports pundit was vocal about the Manchester United players while commenting on the game, laying blame at the feet of individual errors in defence and a lack of hunger and creativity in the forward areas.

But off-air and in the podcast room, he continued the attack against the players by claiming that they aren't 'professional' and that the fame of playing for the club as 'gone to their heads.'

"I live in Manchester. Some of them aren't that professional. So I've got no time for them.

"There are a few of them that don't go to bed at the right time, don't eat the right things, don't think about Manchester United every single minute of every day, and aren't living and breathing this football club as they should be - and as professionals should.

"Why? Because it's gone to their heads. They are nothing, some of those players."