Man Utd: Sheringham makes bold relegation claim as he delivers verdict on INEOS sacking Carrick
Teddy Sheringham has claimed that Manchester United “wouldn’t be anywhere near” relegation if they had striker Benjamin Sesko available.
Man Utd’s results and performances have been embarrassing at the start of this season, and it has been widely reported that head coach Michael Carrick is set to be relieved of his duties.
Heading into the international break, the Red Devils sit 18th in the Premier League table and in the relegation zone after only winning three of their first 15 matches in all competitions this season.
Carrick is far from blameless for Man Utd’s current predicament, but he was not backed enough in this summer’s transfer window, and his squad looks weak.
Without the injured Sesko, Man Utd don’t have a natural striker, and Sheringham thinks they would be in a much better position if he had been available in recent weeks.
“We used to say that you’re only as good as your two strikers. Now, it’s one striker, and if that one striker is not doing their job holding up the ball, not retaining possession, if he’s not putting the two centre-halves under pressure and turning and running in behind, doing the dogged work that proper centre-forwards do, everything falls apart,” Sheringham told BOYLE Sports.
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“The amount of times you see the ball going up to Bryan Mbeumo and it’s just coming straight back again, it puts you under pressure.
“I know every position on the football pitch is a big position but a goalkeeper and a centre-forward can get you out of jail sometimes, and if you haven’t got a centre-forward that knows how to play that position, then you’re gonna struggle. Your whole football team’s gonna struggle.
“If Sesko had never been injured, United wouldn’t be anywhere near the relegation zone right now, even if he didn’t score a single goal.”
READ MORE: Man Utd: Wilcox inertia over Carrick leading to relegation sleepwalk
Teddy Sheringham delivers verdict on Man Utd sacking Michael Carrick
Still, Sheringham has also explained why now is the right time for Man Utd to sack Carrick.
“I’d be very surprised if Manchester United aren’t already speaking to Michael Carrick’s replacement. Not even making tentative phone calls to ask who would be available if this or that happened,” Sheringham added.
“I mean, how long do you wait? They’re 18th 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 from United are the same mistakes again and again.
“It’s ridiculous how they’ve gone from being on this fantastic run at the end of last season under Catrick to not looking like they’re able to respond. It’s just a very weird setup, and I know they’re saying there’s no plans to replace him but that’s just giving him 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. Michael’s the one employing these people. The buck stops with him. Whatever’s going on, whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent, it’s down to Michael. If something’s not right, he should be addressing it, and I’m sure he is, but it all looks very shaky.”
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