"We've got to keep moving forward and winning games, simple as that," said Michael Carrick in that considered way of his, after their 2-0 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday. Carrick did get relegated once, with West Ham at the start of his playing career. The Hammers were supposed to be too good to go down in 2002-03.
Aside from Carrick, they had England goalkeeper David James in their squad. Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe and Trevor Sinclair all played more than 40 games in all competitions. But down they went, finishing third bottom with 42 points.
It remains the highest tally any side has been relegated with across a 38-game Premier League campaign. To put that into context, Manchester United's current tally of seven points from nine games would not even get them 30 points if it was continued for the full season. So, are United really destined for a relegation scrap?
You would have to be touching 60 to have any recollection of the last time United were relegated. Legend has it that old boy Denis Law sent them down with an impudent back heel he didn't celebrate when he was at Manchester City. The reality is United were already doomed under then-boss Tommy Docherty.
United have not been in the relegation zone after nine games or more since November 1986, when they collected a single point in Sir Alex Ferguson's first two games in charge following Ron Atkinson's dismissal. Their lowest position after at least nine games of a season since then was 17th in 1989-90. They are back there again right now, mainly thanks to the failings of others in results elsewhere on Saturday.
It is now nine games in all competitions since Carrick's side won, their worst run since 1988-89. Their single Premier League win of the season was when they came from behind to beat Ipswich at home in August. Of course, United's supporters have very recent experience of seeing their team in the lower reaches of the table.
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