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Gary Neville has described Manchetser United's display at Everton as "toothless" and suggested the absence of Michael Carrick was the decisive factor in their 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park on Sunday. Former United defender Neville, who won eight Premier League titles in his time at Old Trafford, told Sky Sports that Van Gaal's side lacked a cutting edge all over the pitch in a performance that set alarm bells ringing as they look to wrap up a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League. "United were toothless, and that is being kind," Neville said, as he reflected on a third successive defeat for United at Goodison Park. "I didn't really see them try and dribble past a player, make any forward runs. At times they were not getting enough men in the box and the final pass was poor. "It is the worst I have seen United play for five or six weeks. They have been playing so well. Even in defeat [1-0 against Chelsea] at Stamford Bridge last week they played really well. "For a long time United have had a good record at Everton but certainly not in the last three seasons. Last season was such a poor performance. I don't think United were that bad [on Sunday], despite it being a worse result." Neville also suggested the absence of the injured Carrick was crucial in the lack of cohesion in the United side. United have won 72 percent of league games the England midfielder has started this campaign, with that percentage dipping to just 37.5 percent when he is absent. "When Michael Carrick doesn't play, their record without him shows he is missed," Neville added. "It is not just the control and composure, but it is his forward passes, he just moves the ball forward into good areas quickly. "When United won the ball back today they didn't get the ball forward quick enough. Michael Carrick does that. Even if it is only a 10-yard pass, he gets the move moving in the right way. "They miss him badly, they really do. It is no coincidence they have lost the last two games without him." Meanwhile, Chris Smalling believes the loss has to be a "massive wake-up call" for the squad. The centre-back admitted Roberto Martinez's side were superior throughout the game and agreed with manager Louis van Gaal that United were not aggressive enough. "Right from the first minute we were off the pace and they had a pressure that we usually have," he told MUTV. "We were second best. This is a massive wake-up call for us." United had won six consecutive league games before losing to first Chelsea and Everton and while they still have a seven-point lead on fifth-placed Liverpool, the gap could be reduced to one point by the time they kick off against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, as Liverpool play Hull City and Queens Park Rangers before. "I think it was always going to go down to the final couple of games," he said. "We've got four big games now in which we've got to make sure we were better than today. I think we'll go back and look at the video tomorrow and, come the next training session, we'll be eager to put this right. "We haven't been the second-best team in games this season, even when we've lost, we've always had that aggression and those tackles but today we were far from it. I think we'll see a different Manchester United next Saturday against West Brom." Van Gaal was unusually critical of his team and Smalling supported the Dutchman. "It was very disappointing," he told Sky Sports. "I think that was the first time this season that we were off the pace from the first whistle. From the first moment to the last we were second best. "I think we lacked aggression. That is what the manager emphasised to us after the game, that they seemed to want it more than us. Everton were very compact and we could not find the gaps and break them down. That is going to be the way that teams line up against us though after the run of results we have had."
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