Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville believes Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Leeds could be a "stepping stone" but has warned that Michael Carrick will have a problem if his side are still 13th in the Premier League come January. United have just seven points from seven league matches, winning just one of those, which is their fewest number of victories at this stage of a top-flight season for 40 years. Despite extending their winless run in all competitions to six games with the draw at Elland Road, the performance was much improved, with Carrick's tactical tweaks making his side more compact and defensively solid.
Neville agreed with the United head coach's assessment that Sunday's performance at Elland Road was a step in the right direction. Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast, the Sky Sports pundit said: "[There's] a depressed standard and a low expectation right now. "But it'll feel like a stepping stone for Michael Carrick, and it'll feel like the first step on the ladder in the Premier League.
"They may take some confidence from that, and there might be a blueprint there. Maybe we have to bring Matheus Cunha, Marcus Rashford and others off the bench, and we might just have to have a go at being more solid." United's paltry points return has them sitting 13th in the Premier League after seven games, already five points adrift of fifth place, which was enough for Champions League qualification last season. Neville says there is no need for panic just yet but feels United have to show signs of improvement over the next few weeks otherwise Carrick could find himself in hot water come the new year.
"I would say fourth would be a birdie, fifth would be par, and sixth would be a bogey," said Neville of his former club's targets for the season. "But they can't finish outside the top five, because then you're missing out on Champions League and it becomes a vicious circle. "Then you can't get those players because they want to play in the Champions League and you can't get the money from it and you've lost the £60m-£70m and you're in the Europa League on Thursday nights.
"Fifth is a must for Michael Carrick to continue to grow and Manchester United continue to grow with investment. "If they're 13th in January, he's got a problem because then you are what you are. Whereas I think it's still early enough, seven points from seven games, to say, 'okay, still early in the season'.
You can't say that after 15 games. "It has to change in the next few weeks: Bournemouth is really important and Chelsea away. And how he manages the games in between that.
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