Last chance Manchester United manager Carrick: Out for the Red Devils

Manchester United fans certainly didn't imagine the start of the season like this: last season's third-place finish managed only one win from four Premier League games, currently sits in 13th place, and also had to endure a bitter exit from the league cup after the Red Devils squandered a 2‑0 lead at home against Brighton & Hove Albion and lost 2‑3.

First season crisis

The red‑white fans are faced with a situation that hardly recalls the successful previous season. During that time the team secured only two wins from six games across all competitions and has already been knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

Carrick's previous record

Manager Michael Carrick stabilized the club last season, took it back into the Champions League and was rewarded in the summer with a contract until 2028. Despite this success, unrest reigns again at Old Trafford, and several English media outlets report that Carrick is already facing the brink again.

Future rumours and candidates

A possible failure in the next away match at Fulham on Sunday could pull the emergency brake. The longer international break is seen as the perfect moment for a potential successor. On the shortlist, Kieran McKenna, the 40‑year‑old Northern Irishman, who was promoted to the Premier League with Ipswich Town last season, took a break over the summer and has already worked in the academy as well as serving as co‑coach of the first team at the Red Devils, features prominently. Antonio Conte, the 57‑year‑old Italian, known for managing Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur and winning the Premier League with the Blues in 2017, is also mentioned as a considerably higher‑profile replacement.

At the same time, recent reports show that Manchester United currently give no indication of actively looking for a new manager. Carrick has only been in his permanent role for a few months, after having impressively filled the interim position last year.

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According to the Athletic, there is currently no replacement in sight, and the club wants to regain stability after the many changes since Sir Alex Ferguson. A comparison is drawn with Arsenal, which brought back Mikel Arteta, while it remains unclear whether Carrick and Solskjaer possess the same qualifications for such a role.

Manchester United has experienced numerous managerial changes since the end of the Ferguson era – from David Moyes to Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and up to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This volatile history is cited as background for the current discussion about Carrick's future.

Next Sunday, everything is at stake for Carrick: a defeat could mean the end of his tenure, as the Red Devils cannot afford another exit.

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