It would have been almost impossible to imagine Michael Carrick coming under serious pressure this early in the season after guiding Manchester United to a third-place finish in the Premier League last campaign.
But football can change very quickly.
Carrick was given more than £100 million to strengthen his squad during the summer, yet Manchester United’s new additions have struggled to make the kind of impact the club was hoping for.
After five league matches, United have managed just one victory and now find themselves sitting 12th in the Premier League table heading into the international break.
The manager has also come under scrutiny for some of his recent team selections, particularly after a difficult run of results that has left supporters increasingly frustrated.
Carrick got several decisions wrong against Fulham
Manchester United managed to escape with a 1-1 draw against Fulham, but Carrick will know that his side could have performed much better.
One of the biggest selection decisions was the return of Luke Shaw to the starting XI, with Patrick Dorgu dropping to the bench following his absence against Manchester City.
Shaw struggled to make much of an impact at either end of the pitch. He failed to complete a cross or successful dribble and didn’t win a single ground duel during the match.
Fulham’s attackers were able to put him under pressure throughout the afternoon, with Oscar Bobb and Kevin among those who caused problems for United.
However, Shaw was certainly not the only Manchester United player who struggled.
Bryan Mbeumo also endured another frustrating afternoon.
The Cameroon international managed to put only 20% of his shots on target and completed just 40% of his attempted dribbles. His 44% success rate in ground duels further showed how difficult he found it against Antonee Robinson, who did a good job of keeping him quiet.
Carrick needs to make a big call on Rashford
After three consecutive matches without a victory, Carrick is now facing growing questions over his position.
There will naturally be discussions during the international break about whether Manchester United need to make a managerial change or whether the problems at the club run deeper than the dugout.
Whatever happens, Carrick needs to take responsibility for his own selection decisions.
And one decision that surely deserves serious consideration is his continued faith in Marcus Rashford.
Rashford returned to Manchester United after spending last season on loan at Barcelona, where he contributed 25 goals and assists combined.
His performances in Spain convinced many supporters that he deserved another opportunity at his boyhood club, and Carrick was among those who backed the 28-year-old to remain at Old Trafford.
But so far this season, that decision has not produced the desired results.
Rashford has started all but one of United’s Premier League matches, yet he is still waiting for his first goal or assist of the campaign.
His performance against Fulham was another example of the problem.
Rashford actually had more shots than any other Manchester United player, but he failed to convert his opportunities and missed two big chances.
He looked dangerous at times, but once again, the end product was missing.
The winger completed only one successful dribble and managed just two passes into the final third. He was also caught offside and completed only 33% of his attempted crosses.
Perhaps even more concerning was the amount of possession he gave away, losing the ball 11 times during the match.
For a player expected to provide a major attacking threat, those numbers simply aren’t good enough.
Rashford is starting to look like United’s new Martial
There is a growing sense that Rashford is beginning to resemble Anthony Martial in one particular way.
Like Martial, he clearly has talent and has shown throughout his career that he can be a dangerous forward when everything clicks.
The problem is consistency.
There have been plenty of moments when Rashford has looked capable of producing something special, but United need more than occasional flashes of quality. They need goals, assists and reliable performances, particularly from one of their highest-profile attackers.
That is why Carrick may need to make a difficult decision after the international break.
Dropping Rashford would certainly be a bold move, especially after publicly backing him to remain at the club. But sometimes a manager has to put personal preferences aside and select the players who are currently giving the team the best chance of winning.
Carrick has already shown that he is prepared to stick with his attacking players.
However, with pressure beginning to build around his position, he may no longer have the luxury of waiting for Rashford to rediscover his best form.
Changing the system, giving someone else an opportunity and taking Rashford out of the starting XI could be exactly the kind of decision Carrick needs to make.
His job may depend on it.
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