Germany coach Juergen Klopp before the match
Germany coach Juergen Klopp before the match
A bruising night in Como has left Michael Carrick facing the toughest questions of his Manchester United reign.
United’s 4-1 Champions League defeat on Wednesday stretched their wait for a victory to seven games and left the under-fire head coach facing even greater scrutiny.
Michael-Carrick-Como-Man-Utd
Carrick has overseen just two victories in 11 competitive games this season, with wins against Ipswich Town and Sabah providing the only real relief.
The Premier League picture is particularly uncomfortable.
United sit 13th after collecting seven points from their opening seven games, leaving them with major ground to make up on the clubs setting the pace.
Their Carabao Cup campaign is already over, too, after Brighton overturned a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 at Old Trafford, and that leaves Carrick trying to restore confidence while dealing with problems across several competitions.
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|Man United’s results under Carrick this season|
|Date|Competition|Opponent|Venue|Result|
|---|
|22 August|Premier League|Hull City|Away|Lost 0-2|
|30 August|Premier League|Ipswich Town|Home|Won 5-2|
|6 September|Premier League|Everton|Away|Drew 2-2|
|13 September|Premier League|Man City|Home|Lost 0-1|
|20 September|Premier League|Fulham|Away|Drew 1-1|
|10 October|Premier League|Tottenham|Home|Drew 1-1|
|21 October|Champions League|Como|Away|Lost 1-4|
The mood around United has also been worsened by Bruno Fernandes publicly questioning the approach against Como.
The captain highlighted the decision to allow their opponents time on the ball, while Carrick pointed to shortcomings in the players’ intensity.
For a manager under pressure, that public disagreement has only increased the attention on what is happening inside the dressing room, with Lisandro Martínez also recently taking centre stage with some United controversy.
lisandro-martinez-man-utd
It is a sharp change from the end of last season, when Carrick’s interim spell delivered third place and Champions League qualification.
That turnaround helped secure him the permanent job, but the goodwill generated by those results is now being tested.
Sunday’s home meeting with Bournemouth offers an immediate opportunity to respond, with United needing a performance that gives supporters something to believe in.
Meanwhile, United have sounded out Julian Nagelsmann over potentially succeeding Carrick, according to a new report from talkSPORT.
Man Utd contact Julian Nagelsmann over potentially replacing Michael Carrick
julian-nagelsmann
The German had admirers at Old Trafford before United committed to their current boss, but his involvement with the national team complicated matters.
He is now available after leaving Germany following their disappointing World Cup campaign, making him a more accessible option.
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler is also identified as a contender, although his recently extended contract would present a different challenge for any approach.
Nagelsmann’s name will be familiar to supporters who followed Liverpool’s search for Jürgen Klopp’s successor.
Germany coach Juergen Klopp reacts during the match
Germany coach Juergen Klopp reacts during the match
In February 2024, reporting carried by Sky Sports and the Sunday Telegraph named him and Ruben Amorim among Liverpool’s alternatives to Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool eventually appointed Arne Slot, while Nagelsmann continued with Germany, and those earlier links underline how highly he was regarded when another major English club faced a significant decision over its next manager.
He first made his name at Hoffenheim, taking charge aged just 28 before keeping them in the Bundesliga and eventually leading the club into the Champions League for the first time.
The 'genius' Nagelsmann then won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2022 after previously guiding RB Leipzig to the Champions League semi-finals.
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann
Those achievements offer evidence of his ability to work at the top end of European football, although United would still need to judge whether he suits their current situation.
For Carrick, the immediate priority remains stopping the slide.
Another poor display against Bournemouth would make it harder to argue that United are moving towards the standards he helped restore last season.