Michael Carrick apologises to Manchester United's 700 travelling fans after the 4-1 Champions League defeat by Como
While head coach Michael Carrick is expected to be in charge for Sunday's match against Bournemouth, Manchester United have already begun the process of identifying possible replacements.
Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte and Julian Naglesmann are understood to have their eyes on the Old Trafford job.
Sources say Carrick is carrying on as normal and has not been made aware of any imminent change following Wednesday's humiliating 4-1 defeat by Italian side Como.
That defeat was followed by captain Bruno Fernandes questioning Carrick's tactics in the Champions League loss.
The players have been given Thursday off, while United are still to confirm arrangements for Friday's planned news conference to preview the Bournemouth match.
Some senior figures at United are of the view that chopping and changing mangers so regularly in recent years has failed to arrest United's decline, and that Carrick has been let down by players who are under-performing.
That does not necessarily mean that Carrick is safe, of course.
There remains major uncertainty over his future. But there is also an appreciation in some quarters of the progress that he and his squad made last season, and a view that he should be given more time to turn things around.
For weeks, managers - in and out of work - have grown aware that the United job may become available.
Howe, for example, is available and would be considered. Sources have indicated that the former Newcastle boss is open to returning to management with Manchester United after leaving St James' Park in the close season.
Former Chelsea boss Conte and ex-Germany manager Naglesmann, who are also out of work, are also interested.
Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler's stock is high with those in the corridors of power at United - but extracting them away from their respective clubs would be difficult.
'Not what a captain should be' - the debate around Fernandes' outburst
Man Utd humbling by Como leaves Carrick job in danger
For the third year in a row, United have publicly and financially backed a manager in the summer, but positive results have not followed.
Ruben Amorim staggered on to January, but the shock League Cup defeat at League Two side Grimsby last August and the awful performance at Brentford less than a month later stripped away his safety net and gave United's hierarchy nowhere to go when he attacked their influence.
United looked extensively at other candidates, including Thomas Tuchel and Roberto de Zerbi, in the summer of 2024 before deciding to stick with Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman was dismissed in the October.
There were dissenting voices when he was appointed on a permanent basis in May, but the majority of supporters felt 12 wins from 17 in interim charge and a place in the Champions League after a two-year absence meant the 45-year-old former United midfielder deserved a crack at the job.
But, as ever, results shape everything.
There are numerous reasons behind the club's poor form this season and blame can be apportioned across a variety of departments and to the very top of the club.
However, the brutal truth is two wins from 11 games, and none in seven, their worst run since 2015-16 when eight matches without a win took Louis van Gaal to the brink of dismissal, is simply not good enough. And as head coach, Carrick bears significant responsibility for that.
There is certainly a view from senior figures around the club that while overall recruitment can be questioned – specifically the strategy of strengthening midfield in the most recent transfer window, at the expense of bringing in striking support for Benjamin Sesko or competition at left-back for Luke Shaw, part of a long list of absentees in Como – the players have to take a significant amount of responsibility for the current situation.
The proximity of United's next Premier League game doesn't make immediate change straightforward even if that was the thinking.
Following Amorim's dismissal in January, former United midfielder Darren Fletcher took over as interim manager for two games. Fletcher subsequently returned to his role as Under-18 coach, but two of the coaches who helped him, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion, stayed with the senior set-up as part of Carrick's team.
United have a clear midweek coming up following their EFL Cup defeat by Brighton, who came back from two down to win at Old Trafford last month. That, in theory, would allow time to take stock without the immediate pressure a match can bring.
Bournemouth secured their first Premier League win under new boss Marco Rose last week. They drew 4-4 in a memorable encounter at Old Trafford last season, prior to that, they won 3-0 on both of their previous two visits.
It remains to be seen if Carrick will be in charge, and if so, how long after that.
It seems the only certainty around Manchester United just now, is the sense of uncertainty – again.
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