Man United players causing themselves "emotional damage" amid ongoing struggles

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has said that the club's players are almost causing themselves "emotional damage" with their post-match walks of honour.

The Red Devils are currently down in 18th spot in the Premier League table and have incredibly won just one of their opening 10 matches of their league campaign.

Following 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth at the end of October, Man United's players were booed off the field, shortly after the supporters had sung the name of head coach Michael Carrick.

The players were given a much warmer sent-off following Sunday's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League, but captain Bruno Fernandes in particular had a pained expression on his face when he clapped all four sides of the stadium.

Neville has said that the walks of honour are becoming "painful to watch" and claimed that the players are almost causing themselves "emotional damage".

Neville: 'Man United walks of honour are painful to watch'

"You have got to admire their persistence, they kept going," Neville told NBC Sports. "The defensive errors were shocking and we'll discuss that shortly. But this lap around the pitch.

"I played for Manchester United 602 times and I always appreciated the fans at the end of the game, but this pattern of them walking around the pitch after defeats by Bournemouth and a 4-4 at home against Aston Villa, it's almost painful to watch. They're almost causing themselves emotional damage.

"This just can't go on, can it? It's absolutely desperate. Michael will be proud of them and the fans are singing his name because they love him but this is a really sorry situation."

Carrick future: What happens now?

Carrick's future is currently the subject of a review, led by the club's sporting director Jason Wilcox, while chief executive Omar Berrada is also involved.

Once the review has been concluded, Wilcox and Berrada are set to make a recommendation to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the route forward for the club.

Carrick has insisted that he will not be resigning as head coach, and as it stands, the Englishman will lead the team into their clash with Liverpool after the November international break.

"It's not going to happen, no," Carrick told Sky Sports News on Sunday when asked whether he could resign following the clash with Villa.

Senior figures at Man United allegedly have different views when it comes to a suitable replacement for Carrick, which is one of the main reasons why a change has not been made.