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Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
It’s a couple of days on from Manchester United’s defeat against AFC Bournemouth, and the rumblings behind the scenes are continuing after a weekend of struggle.
Michael Carrick remains a man under immense pressure to keep his job, with many senior figures expecting the 45-year-old to depart his current post.
Meetings were held at Carrington on Monday afternoon to discuss the manager’s future at Old Trafford, but how did we get to this point after his successful spell last campaign?
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick looks dejected as he applauds fans after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick looks dejected as he applauds fans after the match
The stats which have led to Carrick's downfall at United
Just a couple of months ago, United supporters found themselves on cloud nine, after Carrick led the Red Devils to a top four finish and secured a place in the Champions League.
However, just over five months on from such an achievement, his side now look devoid of any confidence or quality - resulting in an eight-game run without a victory.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick applauds fans after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick applauds fans after the match
As a result, the Red Devils now sit 17th in the Premier League, and currently boast the sixth worst defence in the division after conceding 13 times in the first eight league encounters.
Such a figure isn’t the only damning one for Carrick’s men, as they have conceded an xG of 12.1 during the aforementioned figure, with such a number the same as newly promoted Hull City.
In attacking areas, his side have been just as toothless, as seen by their ability to register the fifth-highest shots-on-target per 90 rate, but the second-worst conversion rate of any side in the league.
Why Bruno has created a divide at Manchester United
Amid the recent poor form on the pitch, numerous senior members of the United squad have spoken out about their frustrations with the current situation at Old Trafford.
Lisandro Martinez directed his anger towards some of the higher-ups after the Atlético Madrid defeat, whilst Bruno Fernandes vented his frustrations towards manager Carrick.
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The Portuguese international hit out at the 45-year-old’s decision not to press man-to-man during the defeat to Como last week, claiming that the manager’s tactics inject confidence into the opposition.
Carrick since took matters into his own hands against Bournemouth and named the 32-year-old on the substitutes bench, but never considered bringing him onto the pitch.
In the latest turn of events, the captain has taken to social media and liked an Instagram post which contained a quote stating: “Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care."
As a result, there appears to be a divide between the player and the manager - leaving the hierarchy to make a decision about who they back going forward.
How United can replace Carrick with an elite-coach
With the manager’s future still firmly up in the air at present, a whole host of managerial options are now under consideration by the United hierarchy.
Eddie Howe seemingly appears to be the number one option, with Director of Football Jason Wilcox making the Englishman his number one choice to replace Carrick.
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However, another name that has been thrown into the mix in recent days is Julian Nagelsmann, who is a free agent after leaving the German national team this summer.
It’s been reported by talkSPORT that the 39-year-old is currently high up on United’s shortlist at present should they decide to fire Carrick in the coming days.
Their report claims that Christopher Vivell is leading the charge to appoint the highly-rated coach, but faces the prospect of convincing Wilcox to move away from a deal for Howe.
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Whilst the former Newcastle United boss may remain many of the supporters’ first choice, a deal for Nagelsmann could prove to be the better appointment.
During his relatively short managerial career, he’s received huge praise for his work, with Statman Dave previously labelling him as “one of Europe’s best coaches.”
His 4-2-3-1 system has been hugely successful during his managerial career, subsequently allowing him to claim Bundesliga glory with Bayern back in 2021/22.
Team Games Wins Win %
TSG Hoffenheim 136 55 40.4%
RB Leipzig 95 54 56.8%
Bayern Munich 79 56 70.9%
Germany 37 23 62.2%
Senior career total 347 188 54.2%
Such a formation places a huge amount of importance on the number ten role, which could see Bruno once again hit the heights he achieved last campaign.
During his final year in charge of the Bundesliga side, Nagelsmann utilised Thomas Muller in behind Robert Lewandowski, with the former of the pair registering 18 assists that term.
The aforementioned figures showcase why Bruno could benefit from his appointment, with the Portuguese international able to become a crucial asset in his preferred system.
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He proved last season that he’s capable of delivering the goods in attacking areas, as he broke the record for the most assists in a single Premier League season (21).
However, he’s been unable to emulate such levels due to the issues with Carrick and the fresh appointment of Nagelsmann could be perfect for the forward to recapture his elite-level output.
It remains to be seen if he will be the man selected to replace the under-pressure Carrick, but his CV and success could finally put an end to the ongoing struggles at Old Trafford.