Neville’s concern is that the team’s displays have fallen alongside its results. That matters because confidence can drain quickly when a side struggles to impose itself, and every difficult spell risks becoming self-reinforcing: mistakes invite pressure, and pressure makes the next mistake more likely.
For Carrick, the immediate task is to restore a sense of control. A win would ease the noise, but a more convincing performance could be just as important in rebuilding belief.
Neville is also reported to be unimpressed with Lisandro Martínez. The concern adds an individual focus to a wider team problem, though it should not obscure the collective challenge facing United.
A front-foot defender can be exposed when the players around him leave gaps or fail to protect transitions. That makes the team’s shape and coordination part of the discussion, rather than making one player a simple explanation for a prolonged slump.
The coming fixtures will test whether Carrick can halt the decline in both results and performances. For United, the next step is not merely ending the winless run, but showing signs that the rut Neville describes is beginning to loosen.