Why Manchester United’s Collapse Has Steven Gerrard Worried — And the One INEOS Hire Liverpool Fans Should Fear
EXCLUSIVE: Steven Gerrard Makes Stunning Manchester United Admission — And Reveals the One INEOS Hire That Could Spell Trouble for Liverpool
For years, watching Manchester United unravel has been a guilty pleasure on Merseyside. Yet as Old Trafford wakes up to the chaotic aftermath of Michael Carrick’s dismissal on Thursday, Anfield icon Steven Gerrard has broken ranks with a remarkably candid warning that will stop Liverpool supporters in their tracks.
United enter the November international break marooned in 18th place in the Premier League table—sitting inside the relegation zone with just eight points and a single victory from their opening 10 matches. Sunday’s breathless 4-4 draw against Aston Villa proved the final straw for INEOS, bringing an abrupt end to Carrick’s permanent tenure just six months after he was handed the keys full-time.
While rival fans have spent the past week reveling in United’s worst league start in four decades, Gerrard—speaking during a lively broadcast session on The Overlap Daily—admitted that United’s rock-bottom crisis is actually starting to make him uneasy.
“Liverpool Could Have a Serious Problem on Their Hands”
Gerrard, who has never hidden his lifelong allegiance to Liverpool, confessed that hitting rock bottom often forces sleeping giants into making the one ruthless decision they have avoided for over a decade.
> “As a Liverpool supporter, you don’t want Manchester United becoming successful again. But I have to be honest. They are too big a club to remain in this situation forever. There is one appointment they could make that would completely change everything, and if they get it right, I genuinely believe Liverpool could have a serious problem on their hands…”
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The former Reds captain has been vocal in recent weeks about the deep-rooted rot inside Old Trafford, calling out everything from summer recruitment misses like Andrey Santos to dressing-room standards. In Gerrard’s view, Carrick was never the sole architect of United’s downfall—rather, he was overwhelmed by structural dysfunction above him and inconsistency beneath him.
Now, however, with the dugout officially vacant and INEOS backed into a corner by the threat of a genuine relegation dogfight, Gerrard believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his football leadership team can no longer afford half-measures or nostalgic stopgaps.
Who Is the “Game-Changing” Appointment Gerrard Fears?
Although Gerrard stopped short of naming his pick outright on air, his description of a manager capable of instantly overhauling culture, instilling relentless pressing, and uniting a fractured fanbase points squarely toward the top of INEOS’s emergency shortlist:
* Mauricio Pochettino: Currently the odds-on favorite with bookmakers, the Argentine has long been admired at Old Trafford. Reports suggest a release clause exists in his U.S. Men’s National Team contract, offering INEOS a clear—if expensive—path to bring in a proven Premier League builder who thrives on developing young cores and establishing clear tactical identity.
* Eddie Howe: Available immediately after departing Newcastle United prior to the 2026–27 campaign, Howe represents the domestic, high-intensity alternative. His track record of transforming a demoralized St. James’ Park dressing room into Champions League contenders mirrors the exact rescue job United require right now.
* Julian Nagelsmann & Antonio Conte: Both remain outside contenders in the market, though prising Nagelsmann away from Germany or handing Conte short-term control carries vastly different strategic risks for INEOS.
For Gerrard, the threat to Liverpool is simple: Andoni Iraola’s Reds currently sit comfortably inside the top four on 18 points, looking upward toward Arsenal, Brighton, and Manchester City. The last thing Liverpool needs is for their fiercest historic rivals to use this humiliation as a catalyst to finally hire an elite, modern system-builder.
A Crossroads for INEOS—and the Premier League
Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, Manchester United have cycled through permanent managers and interim fixes without ever escaping the shadow of their past. Dropping to 18th in November has stripped away any remaining illusion that United can coast on reputation alone.
As Gerrard pointed out, crisis breeds clarity. With a squad featuring genuine match-winners like Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo alongside expensive summer investments like Carlos Baleba and Matheus Cunha, the raw talent at Carrington is far better than an 18th-place table position suggests.
If INEOS panics and settles for another short-term caretaker, Liverpool fans can keep laughing. If they pull the trigger on the right visionary during this international window, Gerrard’s warning may soon look prophetic.
