Sheringham: Manchester United Will Get Relegated at This Rate; The Same Mistakes Keep Happening

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , Champions League hero and treble winner Teddy Sheringham has delivered a damning verdict on his old club Manchester United after watching two stunning comebacks under Michael Carrick .

Sheringham has questioned whether the players know their jobs from the first whistle, warned that United will get relegated at this rate, and explained why the same mistakes keep repeating.

The former United striker has also sized up a daunting trip to Liverpool at Anfield and whether Shea Lacey is ready to start.

The Comebacks

Was Manchester United 4-4 Aston Villa an Example of Some Fergie-Time Magic?

Without a doubt, it shows the players are still fighting for Michael Carrick , but to go two goals down and then two goals down again, it's not even kamikaze football. The way they start games is all apprehensive.

This Manchester United team doesn't know whether they're supposed to be pressing or dropping off. I don't think they know what they're supposed to be doing from the first minute, because even the little things are missing. When the ball was played out to Harry Maguire against Aston Villa , a senior pro, he heads it but doesn't really head it out or to a teammate, and it goes out of play, and from there they take a quick throw.

It's such a weird way to start a game. The goalkeeper, Senne Lammens , looks nervous to me as well; he makes mistake after mistake, and it puts you on the back foot straight away. The way they reacted after going behind is good and shows they're still fighting, but you can't carry on like this as Manchester United .

How Do You Explain What's Going On With Manchester United on the Pitch?

You'd have to get into the head of Michael Carrick to know what's going on with Manchester United right now. You'd think he'd be preparing his team the right way and telling everyone to get on the front foot, that the message is we're going to turn them and put them under pressure, but then someone plays a different ball, it's not according to the plan, and all of a sudden they're turning you and putting you under pressure.

He must be thinking: what did I say five minutes ago before we left the dressing room? It's a strange setup. I'm sure Carrick is talking long and hard about cutting out all these silly mistakes and not giving teams the upper hand, but it keeps happening again and again. When I was a manager, we were conceding late goals in three out of four games, and my chairman came to me asking whether we practise this, whether I tell the lads what to expect in the last minutes of a game.

Of course I'd been talking to them about it. You tell them to stay switched on until the final minute, but then a long throw comes in, someone takes a touch, a little toe-poke, and suddenly you've conceded again. It makes you want to be sick; it's a horrible feeling for a manager. You could tell from Michael 's face at the start against Aston Villa that he could hardly swallow. It's not a nice position to find yourself in.

The Carrick Dilemma

Is It Refreshing to See United Stick With Carrick, or Are They Running Out of Time?

I'd be very surprised if Manchester United aren't already speaking to Michael Carrick 's replacement, or at least making tentative phone calls to ask who would be available if this or that happened. How long do you wait?

They're eighteenth in the league. I don't want Michael Carrick to lose his job, but you persevere only if you see signs that things are getting better, and all we're seeing are the same mistakes again and again. It's ridiculous how they've gone from that fantastic run at the end of last season under Carrick to not looking able to respond.

I know they're saying there are no plans to replace him, but that's just the dreaded vote of confidence in another way. If it's a coaching problem, if it's a Steve Holland problem, it's still down to Michael ; he's the one employing these people, and the buck stops with him. If something's not right, he should be addressing it, and I'm sure he is, but it all looks very shaky.

Are United Really at Risk of Relegation This Season?

Manchester United will get relegated at this rate. There's not a lot between teams in the Premier League anymore, and if other teams are putting in 100% effort or more, there's so much talent in these squads now, at Hull City , at Ipswich and at Coventry City .

They've been spending big money, and they might not be buying the top players, but they're spending good money on good players from all around the world, and that gives them a chance. Sunderland showed us that last year; it was fantastic the way they took the Premier League by storm.

I remember doing it with Millwall coming up; we thought we had to play at our utmost best every game just to get a draw, and all of a sudden you start beating teams with that attitude because your commitment and togetherness take you through. If you're not matching people for effort like that, you will struggle, and it looks like Manchester United can't do that when it really matters, when the game is at 0-0. You've got to match these teams; if you don't, you get found out, big time.

Anfield

Can Carrick Use the Trip to Liverpool as a Turning Point?

Liverpool away at Anfield is the biggest test Michael Carrick could ask for right now. It's probably an even worse challenge than going to the Emirates at the moment, knowing Liverpool would love to put a nail in their coffin. They'd be laughing their heads off if they could win at Anfield against their old rivals while United are stuck in the relegation zone.

I don't think you could ask for a worse fixture coming out of another international break, but if he can get them off to a good start and get a result, what a turning point it could be. The players will definitely be up for it, and Michael will make it known what this entails.

There are enough youngsters coming through to understand what the fixture means and know the rivalry inside out. It's Liverpool versus Manchester United ; it's a big match everywhere, in Asia , Australia , South America , wherever you go.

Is It Time to Start Shea Lacey, or Is He Better Off the Bench?

I wouldn't start Shea Lacey at Anfield . I think he's probably best coming off the bench as a wildcard option. He definitely injects a bit of excitement when he comes on, and he puts some tantalising balls into the box; I've seen some fantastic deliveries right inside or just outside that far post.

He looks like a real prospect. In a game like that, there are all different ways to win, but you feel you've got to have a bit of stature to retain possession, and Lacey does that side well too, so maybe Michael will chuck him in there given the form he's in.

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