Man Utd to sack Carrick by Xmas and other Premier League predictions

Does anybody think that Man Utd and Michael Carrick can sustain their form? And who will win the title?

Send your predictions to theeditor@football365.com

Why evaluate transfers in early August?

Seems we’ve reached that point in the off-season where fans are fully turning their attention to their club’s activity in the transfer market, and readily speculating about how their season will definitely pan out even though we’re 2.5 weeks from kick-off and four weeks from the closure of the window.

The submissions in Monday’s mailbox centred around Liverpool’s inactivity (so far) and Arsenal’s interest in signing Vini Jr. One fan staring down the barrel of a glum take on Liverpool’s chances, another excited at the possibility of a Galactico pitching up at the Emirates.

I know medium-term memory isn’t really a thing in a world of social media over-exposure and news cycles shorter than my fingernail, but I can’t be the only one who remembers giddy Liverpool fans this time last year declaring that we might as well hand over the trophy, am I? A gigantic spree of misplaced spending, followed by a horribly underwhelming season. Contrast that with the hand-wringing in 2024, when they only got Federico Chiesa in the door but then won the league. It’s FAR too early in the piece to get your excuses in.

As a United fan, my take on our business is that it should only be about half-complete at this stage. I like the Santos/Tielemans signings, but that’s partly due to having been starved of non-panic button additions in midfield since Bruno arrived. I’ve read some talk that Mount may be used as a midfield option this season, which I could see working but also backfiring horribly. Getting another specialist body in the door would be preferable.

A left-back of Lewis Hall’s level would be a huge upgrade, and then there’s the Rashford reintegration question. Personally I’d be working on a fresh attacker in the hope that a market develops for him in the next month. He’s had chances, turned his nose up at the club, openly gushed over Barca, so that ship has sailed for me.

Do I expect United to address all those things before the deadline? Probably not. I’d be happy with the problem areas being addressed at left-back and in midfield for now, and if we’re a bit light up top, we at least have attacking midfielders who can do a job high up the pitch. So I’ll hold my final take until September 1st, when the squad will be final.

Addressing the Arsenal fan who seemed excited about the prospect of Vini Jr. – that looks like a gigantic poisoned chalice. If the rumours are not a negotiating ploy (which they probably are, let’s be honest), I’d be running a mile away from him. Fantastic attacker, no doubt about it. But he gives you zero defensive effort, is prone to an absolute stinker far more often than anyone mentions, and has a planet-sized ego. On the pitch, I’m not sure if Arsenal could adjust to the need to carry him.

That doesn’t even touch on the gargantuan wage he’s currently paid, which would annihilate Arsenal’s wage structure the second he signed and cause a ripple effect in that squad. I was one of the people who found Arsenal’s style distasteful last season, but I never questioned their spirit for a second. Why put that at risk? I don’t get why they’d consider Vini Jr. a smart move – it smacks of Woodward-era United’s backwards opportunism in the market. Just because you CAN do it, doesn’t mean you should. Keith Reilly

Carrick out by Xmas and other predictions

Here’s my response to AC in Milan’s thoroughly enjoyable preview for the 2026/27 season. Mine, however, is far more cynical and moany.

1. Whole teams continuing to do that ridiculous approach the crowd, pump their fists and the crowd shout “yeah, yeah, yeah.” Honestly, it was cringe-worthy enough when Klopp did it after the end of big results at Anfield, but it’s not needed after beating Ipswich at home.

2. The desperation by Sky Sports for Wrexham to get to the Premier League will be unbearable. It’s bad enough now. Every time Wrexham have a match televised, it’s the same old “a touch of Hollywood has hit X today.” And even when you try and watch the match, the camera seems to spend 30% of the game focused on Ryan Reynolds and the other bloke.

3. Roy Keane and Paul Scholes will continue to embarrass themselves by pretending to be miserable and saying ridiculous things for clicks, likes and views on social media.

4. Micah Richards will continue to try and convince people that laughing and shouting, and constantly reminding everyone how miserable Roy Keane is, is actual punditry.

5. Jamie Redknapp being Jamie Redknapp. Sigh.

6. Carrick gone by Christmas and replaced by Eddie Howe.

7. Chelsea win it, Arsenal second, Liverpool third.

8. Newcastle, Ipswich and Hull are going down. Ant MUFC (hearing Warren Barton on talkSPORT the other day say Dan Burn is a national treasure because of what he did at the World Cup was one of the most ludicrous things I’ve ever heard)

…As we are three weeks away from the upcoming season, I wanted to share some early observations:

So in the space of just 6 months Morgan Rogers is now twice the player Semenya is?

Speaking of City (unfortunately) I don’t think there is going to be a Fergie-type drop off now that Pep’s done a bunk.

115? They are going to get away with it aren’t they?

WTF? Newcastle? Will they actually have 11 players left when the season starts?

Sunderland. Kept Granit. More of the same.

Spurs. Spent an f-tonne. Think it will work

Chelsea. Spent an f-tonne. Don’t think it will work.

United. A solid season ahead but not ready to be top dog. Praying to the football gods that Mason Mount stays injury free.

Scousers Red. Isak to come good. Wirtz to stay wirtz! Think it will be late season before Ariola gets his style to stick. Will make a push but too late.

Scousers Blue. Rinse and Repeat.

Villa. It’s all about the manager. Not the players. They’ll be fine.

Fulham. It’s all about the manager. Not the players. They’ll be fine.

Forest. Bright young manager. Bright young Morgan Gibbs-White. Top half. Decent cup run?

Leeds. Grind out a bottom half finish.

Brentford. Brighton. Bournemouth. Punch above/below weight. Delete where applicable.

Arsenal. New rules means they have to go back to playing football. Muscle memory fails to kick in. Will not repeat.

Palace. Thanks for the promoted 3

Promoted clubs. Thanks for the the 6 points. Thanks for the visit Gary (exPat United supporter in Pennsylvania)B

Barcola will love this Liverpool

I reckon that second-half slapping from Leeds will deffo clinch the deal for Barcola. Don’t worry Bradley, that yawning chasm in central defence will be fine, they’ve got the ghost of VVD to come back in and martial those toddlers. Be impenetrable mate. Honest. RHT/TS x

(With Vini Jr in the balance, why would you let him meet Iberian Girl? I thought Arsenal wanted to sign him?)

Why you can’t cite Man City

I agree with Jon, Cape Town, in that “Make City accountable or drop all the charges but just get it done FFS”, but that’s all I agree with.

Y’honour, if it pleases the court, I move to strike a motion that my client who is up for (insert nefarious charges) should be allowed to be set free until Davidson Case #367-D620 is sorted out, as I think it’s just not fair.

Yeah, that’ll show the judge.

Yes, it’s been dragging on so long the whole proceedings are probably now older than when football was invented circa 1992, but what City did or did not do, has absolutely no bearing on what another does or doesn’t do, until – and this is the important bit here, so pay attention please – they have been found either innocent or guilty.

Only then can a precedence be set, and not before.

To be honest, I think this is going to run and run as I imagine there are now high-level government talks going on about it that potentially threaten billions and billions of pounds arriving/not arriving, and far more serious repercussions to UK relations. In short, this hasn’t been a ‘he said, she said’ matter for a very long time now.

Anyhoo, Jon, you should have just stuck with that final sentence and sent that in. Mike D

Arise, King Beckham

As the rumblings of discontent stir within the FIFA halls in Zurich, names are probably being bandied about in such secrecy that it would make electing a Pope seem transparent. But I have one name for you, probably a bit too out in left field (or maybe right midfield!) to be viable – David Beckham!

He has paid his dues and taken his lumps but has come out the other side being universally liked and respected. I doubt there are many people on the planet who do not know who he is. Depending upon how much credence you place on the tabloids, he has managed to be relatively scandal free. While no one would consider him a Rhodes Scholar, he has managed to show enough business savvy to become a Billionaire. Not bad going for a boy from the East End of London. And no one could doubt his genuine love for the game.

For me, I don’t think it’s a question of would he win because I think he would ace it. The question is, would he want to run and then have to navigate that nest of vipers. He would probably have to divest himself of ownership of Inter Miami but he’s climbed that mountain anyway. The head of FIFA might just be the next big challenge for him. Adidasmufc