Gary Neville accuses Manchester United players of deceiving Carrick and launches a fierce attack on them

Gary Neville, the former Manchester United star, has launched a scathing attack on several current players, accusing them of failing to meet the required professional standards and not giving the club the attention it deserves, amid declining results and increasing pressure on manager Michael Carrick.

Neville's comments came after a heavy defeat against Bournemouth, losing three goals to nil at Old Trafford, following another defeat of 4-1 against Como, in a series of negative results that intensified the criticism directed at Carrick, whose team has only achieved two victories in 12 matches across all competitions this season.

Neville said on the Sky Sports podcast: "They played him, didn't they? They deceived him for a few months. Yes, they really did deceive him."

He added: "Carrick will never say that publicly, because he has morals and respect, but I can say it on his behalf. He will look at some of these players with disgust, and he will feel disgusted by the actions of some of them."

He continued: "There are a number of them who do not behave professionally enough. Some do not go to sleep at the right time, do not eat properly, do not think about Manchester United every minute of their day, and do not live for this club as professional players should. They have become arrogant, and some of these players mean nothing."

Gary Neville has suggested that Bruno Fernandes' recent comments about Michael Carrick indicate a decline in the relationship between the coach and his players, stating: "He has not been able to get the best out of them, and they have turned against him. If Bruno has publicly criticized him with those comments, imagine what they are saying behind the scenes. And if this is what the team captain is saying, imagine what is happening in the dressing room when no one is listening to them. This is alarming."

Michael Carrick has confirmed that he takes responsibility for the current situation, stating that he does not know if he will continue in his position. He said: "I completely understand the situation, and I do not expect anything in either direction. I will continue to do my job normally, as I love this place, and I will always do what I believe is best for the club, whatever decision is made."

"I take responsibility and respect the position I hold. I have tried to do everything in my power to avoid reaching this situation, but for several reasons, we were unable to prevent it. It pains me greatly to see the club going through this phase, as the results and performance have not been at the required level."

Despite the defeat, Carrick received support from Manchester United fans who chanted his name during the match, while boos were directed at the players after the final whistle. The coach clarified that it was not a farewell from the fans, expressing his appreciation for their support, and confirmed that the players themselves are greatly affected by the difficult phase the team is going through.