According to a report by Metro on Sunday November 8, 2026, former Chelsea and France defender Frank Leboeuf has warned that Manchester United could face the threat of relegation from the Premier League this season following their disappointing start to the campaign.

Leboeuf believes there is genuine reason for concern at Old Trafford, with Michael Carrick's side struggling near the bottom of the table after collecting just seven points from their opening nine league matches.

United's situation became even more worrying on Saturday after Nottingham Forest defeated Manchester City 3-1 at the City Ground.

The result pushed Manchester United into 18th position, placing them inside the relegation zone despite not playing over the weekend.

The Red Devils have managed just one victory in their opening nine Premier League matches, alongside four draws and four defeats.

They are currently two points away from safety and need to improve their results quickly if they want to avoid spending more time in the bottom three.

Speaking on ESPN FC, Leboeuf admitted that Manchester United's situation had reached a stage where supporters should be seriously concerned.

The former Chelsea defender said: "It's been a while since you had to panic because we saw the games that they had. There is reason to panic and it's been like that for a while."

Leboeuf also questioned the quality and mentality of some players in the Manchester United squad, insisting that several members of the team were not demonstrating the commitment required to represent such a big club.

He added: "You can't get rid of those players who don't deserve to play for Manchester United, who aren't good enough for Manchester United. They don't have the guts, the courage, the pride of fighting for the club."

His comments highlight the growing frustration surrounding United's performances this season, particularly their inability to maintain consistency in the Premier League.

The club have struggled defensively, conceding 15 goals in their first nine league matches without keeping a single clean sheet.

Their 2-0 defeat against Chelsea on October 31 was another disappointing result and represented their fourth league loss of the campaign.

Carrick had already been under pressure following the 3-0 home defeat against Bournemouth, with reports suggesting that his position could be reviewed during the international break if Manchester United failed to defeat Aston Villa.

Although Leboeuf expressed support for the United manager, he admitted that there could eventually be no alternative but to remove him if the situation failed to improve.

The former France international said: "Again, I'm all for Michael Carrick. But there is a time when there will be no other choices but getting rid of him."

He continued by expressing his disappointment with the direction of the team and warned that their current performances could have serious consequences.

"I don't see any solution, I don't see anything getting good and if they carry on like that you could see Manchester United getting relegated which is amazing."

Despite his criticism, Manchester United have shown some signs of encouragement in recent days, particularly in the Champions League.

Carrick's men produced an impressive comeback against Roma on Tuesday, recovering from a two-goal deficit to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory at Old Trafford.

Matheus Cunha was the hero of the night, scoring twice late in the match to complete the comeback and end United's nine-game winless run in all competitions.