Man United 0-3 Bournemouth: Why Michael Carrick could lead club to relegation as Premier League defeat seals 40-year worst

Manchester United have made their worst start to a league season in 40 years following their 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth on Sunday. The Red Devils returned to Premier League action this weekend, but they were thoroughly outplayed by the Cherries, whowon 3-0 at the stadiumfor the third time since 2023.

That result has added significantly more pressure on Michael Carrick, who has lost five of his last eight games in charge, a period in which his team failed to win. United are currently 16th in the Premier League table with just seven points after eight matchweeks, with the club dropping points against the likes of Hull City, Fulham and Everton.

The Red Devils' tally of seven points is in fact their worst return at this stage of a league season since 1986-87, when they claimed just four points. 7 - Manchester United have won just seven points from eight Premier League games this season (W1 D4 L3), their lowest at this stage of a league season since 1986-87 (4).

Many fans and pundits might believe that United are too big to be relegated, but recent history suggests that even the richest and most successful clubs can be dragged into a fight for survival. The Red Devils finished 15th in the 2024-25 season under Ruben Amorim, and while they finished third last campaign, the team failed to adequately correct the imbalances of the squad in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur are one of the wealthiest teams in the country, but they finished 17th in 2024-25 and 2025-26, with the club only securing survival in matchweek 38 of last season. Unless United take the threat of demotion seriously, they could end up in a worse position than Tottenham, and the consequences of relegation would be catastrophic.

Many United supporters were pleased when co-owners INEOS took control of sporting operations, but their tenure since December 2023 has been nothing short of disastrous. Carrick's dismissal would see him become the third manager sacked since INEOS's arrival, and appointing a fourth head coach in less than three years would be a damning indictment of their time at the club.