Man Utd legends reunite for Ferguson’s 40th anniversary dinner while club enter relegation zone and manager admits future uncertainty

Manchester United brought together former players and club figures for a dinner celebrating the 40th anniversary of Sir Alex Ferguson's appointment at Old Trafford, with Michael Carrick among those attending. The gathering came at a difficult moment for the club, however, after Nottingham Forest's victory over Manchester City sent United into the Premier League relegation zone for the first time in 40 years, leaving Carrick facing fresh uncertainty over his future.Manchester United legends reunite for Ferguson anniversary dinnerFerguson was appointed Manchester United manager on November 6, 1986, after agreeing to meet then-chairman Martin Edwards at a motorway service station. Forty years later, the club marked the anniversary with a celebratory dinner in Manchester on Saturday, attended by around 100 former players, club figures and colleagues from the game.Actor and lifelong United supporter James Nesbitt shared a photograph of the gathering on Instagram, featuring Ferguson alongside current manager Carrick and several players who had worked under the legendary Scot. Nemanja Vidic, Robin van Persie, Darren Fletcher, Jonny Evans, Javier Hernandez, John O'Shea and Edwin van der Sar were among those pictured.Ferguson spent more than 26 years in charge of United, winning 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies and 38 pieces of silverware in total. His achievements also included the historic Treble of 1999, while he helped shape the careers of several generations of players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham.He had already won three Scottish league titles and the European Cup Winners' Cup with Aberdeen before arriving at Old Trafford. His first trophy at United, however, did not come until the 1990 FA Cup, with the club waiting almost seven years for its first league title under him in 1993. Ferguson retired in 2013 after winning his 13th Premier League championship.United fall into relegation zone after 40 yearsThe anniversary celebrations coincided with one of the club's most difficult moments in the Premier League era. Nottingham Forest's 3-1 victory over Manchester City on Saturday sent United into the bottom three, marking the first time in 40 years that the club had ended a day in the relegation zone at this stage of a season.United have collected seven points from their opening nine league matches, leaving them 18th in the table. The club have not won a Premier League title since Ferguson's departure in 2013, despite appointing a succession of managers, including Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Erik ten Hag and Rubén Amorim.Ferguson's early years at Old Trafford required considerable patience, with the club allowing him time to build a side before the trophies arrived. United's struggles since his retirement have instead been accompanied by repeated managerial changes, without a return to the dominance they enjoyed under the Scot.Carrick offers no guarantees over his futureCarrick's position has come under scrutiny following United's poor league form, particularly after a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth at Old Trafford. The manager received some breathing space with a 3-2 comeback victory over Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday, ending a nine-match winless run.However, the result has not resolved the uncertainty surrounding his position. Carrick has acknowledged that he has received no guarantees about his future and is concentrating on Sunday's home fixture against Aston Villa.'Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. I'm really looking forward to the next game, playing at home on the back of the other night,' he said.'The supporters are hopefully looking forward to coming energised and feeling good about what they might see, and we've got to repay that.'Carrick has previously identified Ferguson as an important ally as he attempts to improve United's fortunes. His presence at Saturday's dinner brought him together with the manager under whom he won five Premier League titles and the Champions League, but the immediate challenge is to deliver results for a club now facing an unexpectedly serious league predicament.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.