Gary Neville believes Manchester United's decision to retain under-pressure head coach Michael Carrick is rooted in disorganisation and a failure to plan ahead — and he argues that some managers are better served by being dismissed than being kept on.

United sit 16th in the Premier League, one point above the relegation zone, after a humbling 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on Sunday. Carrick was widely expected to lose his job in the aftermath, but the club opted to keep him in charge ahead of Saturday's trip to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

A decision born of confusion

"I reckon what's happened in the 24 hours after Bournemouth is that they've literally debated it back and forth," Neville said on the Stick to Football podcast. "They've got themselves into a muddle, and thought, 'we'll just stay with him.'"

The former Manchester United captain attributed the indecision to structural problems at the club. "Staying with him is a result of the lack of planning, the lack of available options, the lack of decision-making. That's when you're really struggling," he added.

Neville then drew on personal experience to make the case for decisive action: "Sometimes a manager needs sacking for their own good. I needed sacking at Valencia. I was happy that they put me out of my misery."

Fernandes fallout and dressing room unrest

Carrick's position had already grown precarious before the Bournemouth defeat, following captain Bruno Fernandes's public criticism of tactics after a 4-1 UEFA Champions League loss at Como. Fernandes was dropped for the Bournemouth fixture, though the pair have since spoken to clear the air.

"If Bruno Fernandes, the captain of the club, comes out and questions the manager's tactics after a 4-1 defeat in Como, that is only 1 or 2% of what they're actually saying internally," Neville said. "We've all been in football dressing rooms, and they're quite brutal places."

United supporters chanted Carrick's name as he applauded the crowd following the Bournemouth defeat — a moment Neville described as "effectively a farewell lap." The same fans booed the players the moment Carrick disappeared down the tunnel.

Potential replacements in the frame

It is understood United's hierarchy have explored options for Carrick's successor, with former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and ex-Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann both under consideration.

For now, Carrick faces the task of motivating his squad for Saturday's match at Chelsea, with home games against Roma and Aston Villa to follow before November's international break.

Carragher and Keane weigh in

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher shared a blunt assessment. "I think Michael Carrick would want to be put out of his misery. The thought of going into that training ground and doing a team talk before Chelsea, when you know the players just aren't having it at all," he said.

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane was equally forthright. "He needs the players more than they need him. That's football in a nutshell. The players know he's gone — but these are the same players who got him the job last year. So they're running the show."