Merson: Manchester United could be in the relegation zone within a month

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has harshly criticised Manchester United's recent performances. Losing 2-0 away at Chelsea, United have dropped to fourth from bottom in the Premier League. The club has not won in any competition for about two months, and this season they have only managed to beat Ipswich in the league.

Merson pointed out that only goal difference separates United from the relegation zone. He believes the team's situation will get worse, as they sit just above Crystal Palace. Speaking about head coach Michael Carrick, Merson argued that whoever is in charge in this situation would find it hard to win matches. In his view, because the fans like Carrick, decision makers must act carefully. If the fans turn against the board, the board will start to be questioned.

The pundit said he would be surprised if United were still in the bottom three by the Coventry match on 5 December. However, he said he did not think the team would be relegated. Criticising Lisandro Martinez's red card, which has ruled him out of action, Merson said that in the Sir Alex Ferguson era this player would not have been able to pull on the shirt again.