Manchester United Relegation Risk? Alan Pardew Warns of Shock EPL Drop Due to Defensive Woes in 2025/2026

Former Premier League manager Alan Pardew has issued a startling prediction that Manchester United may face relegation in the upcoming 2025/2026 EPL season if urgent defensive problems remain unsolved.

Pardew, well-known for managing clubs like Newcastle United and Crystal Palace, expressed deep concern over the ongoing instability within the Red Devils’ squad. According to him, the club’s decision to ban five key first-team players from participating in squad training is already causing turmoil within the dressing room — a situation that could have grave consequences on the pitch.

In a recent interview with talkSPORT, Pardew was asked to identify which Premier League club is most vulnerable to relegation in the next campaign. To the shock of many, he included Manchester United among the teams in the league’s bottom ten who are at real risk.

“All the teams in that bottom ten, including Manchester United, are at risk,” Pardew stated.

“The issue is that they’re still conceding too many goals, and nothing much has changed to fix that.”

Pardew further elaborated that the Red Devils are currently entangled in a “fire sale” of players, referring to the club’s decision to sideline key figures like Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Tyrell Malacia, and Antony from first-team training.

This banishment, Pardew suggests, sends a demoralizing message to the rest of the squad and disrupts team unity — a critical element for any club aspiring to remain competitive in the Premier League.

“It all hinges on moving these five players; it’s almost like a fire sale right now,” Pardew remarked.

The former EPL coach believes that unless Manchester United swiftly addresses both their defensive frailties and internal squad unrest, the threat of relegation — a once unthinkable scenario for the club — might become a harsh reality