Manchester United have ended a day in the Premier League relegation zone for the first time in 40 years at this stage of a season after Nottingham Forest's 3-1 win over Manchester City sent them into the bottom three.

Forest's win, which consigned City to a third successive league defeat, meant that United ended a day in the top-flight relegation zone having played at least nine games for the first time since November 1986, when they were 21st after 15 matches.

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If Sunderland defeat Chelsea on Sunday and Crystal Palace avoid defeat against Liverpool at Selhurst Park before United face Aston Villa at Old Trafford later in the day, Michael Carrick's team will drop to the bottom of the Premier League table before facing Unai Emery's side.

United face Villa having failed to win in the league since a 5-2 home victory against promoted Ipswich Town on Aug. 30.

Carrick and his players have already recorded the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League season this campaign and it is United's worst for 40 years.

Manager Ron Atkinson was fired in November 1986 after that dismal start, with Sir Alex Ferguson replacing him at Old Trafford.

Carrick's position as manager has been under severe threat in recent weeks and although Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League win against AS Roma alleviated the pressure on the 45-year-old, his future remains in doubt and a defeat against Villa could signal the end of the road for the former United midfielder.

Carrick said on Friday that he hopes United's dramatic comeback against Roma helps inspire his team going forward.

"Obviously it's a positive reaction," Carrick said of the mood in his squad since Tuesday. "Again, it's not like all of a sudden we're getting carried away.

"I have seen enough from the players. I know what we're capable of. I've said it enough. I know exactly what we're capable of, and we all do. You've seen it from different perspective. You know what we're capable as a team, as a team. We've proved it over time.

"We've just not proved it enough lately, but we know it's there. The boys have trained really well. I'm not just saying that for the sake of saying it. If we weren't, I'd say it."

Information from ESPN Global Research and PA was used in this report.