Manchester United boss Michael Carrick was surprisingly sent off after Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth and the 45-year-old will remain in charge for the weekend’s trip to Stamford Bridge.
However, the Manchester United boss remains on thin ice after his side’s disastrous start to the season has seen them pick up just seven points from eight Premier League games, a record that leaves them one point above the relegation zone.
There are some tough fixtures on the horizon for the Red Devils over the next few weeks with games against Chelsea and Aston Villa either side of their Champions League clash with AS Roma.
So there is a real possibility that United could find themselves in the bottom three before the November international break, which could spell the end for Carrick, who has just one win in the Premier League this season.
Despite Chelsea’s decision to back him for at least the match, there is widespread speculation over the Englishman’s future and a number of potential replacements have already been identified, with former Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe emerging as a prime target.
Why could Julian Nagelsmann become Man Utd manager?
Despite Howe being identified as Manchester United’s first-choice option, while the search for a replacement for Carrick continues, German football journalist Constantin Eckner has explained why Julian Nagelsmann now has the main advantage.
“As far as I understand, Nagelsmann would be interested, but he is not the frontrunner. Eddie Howe is the frontrunner, but Nagelsmann is ready.
“The DFB, the German Football Association bought him out of his contract, so there are no hurdles to overcome. He can join whoever he wants, whereas Manchester United have to pay Newcastle United to appoint Eddie Howe as manager.”
Although the 39-year-old has no experience in the Premier League, he knows the demands of managing a giant club, leading Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title in 2021-22.
Jamie O’Hara has also previously urged Tottenham Hotspur to sign the German: “He is a top manager. Bayern Munich were crazy to fire him.
“He was only one point behind Borussia Dortmund, had a 70% win rate, won every game in the Champions League and reached the quarter-finals. I think it was a crazy decision to get rid of him. He is the best young manager in the world and I would like him to go to Spurs.”
With that in mind, Nagelsmann could be a solid choice as Carrick’s replacement, although his lack of Premier League experience means it would be a gamble.