Manchester United manager Michael Carrick applauds fans after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick applauds fans after the match
Manchester United have been in contact to appoint an "unbelievable" manager, with Michael Carrick under increasing pressure after suffering yet another defeat.
The Red Devils were on the receiving end of their fourth Premier League loss this season on Saturday, coming up short in a 2-0 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge as a result of second-half goals from Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer.
Consequently, Carrick's side are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference, and considering they are set to take on Aston Villa next weekend, there is a realistic possibility Man United will be in the bottom three heading into the next international break.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick
Speaking after the defeat against the Blues, the United boss said: "I think I take away a lot of the positives from the first half. I think we still take away, though, finding a way to let the game unravel and it get away from us. It's happened too often really so we've got to learn from that and we've got to do something about it pretty quickly."
Things could have been very different, given that Carrick's side squandered a number of big opportunities, before Lisandro Martinez's second-half dismissal left them in the lurch.
Match statistics Chelsea Man Utd
Total shots 19 12
Shots on target 10 5
Big chances scored 2 0
Big chances missed 2 4
Hit woodwork 1 1
As such, with the first-half display seemingly giving the manager some cause for optimism, he has been given a stay of execution ahead of the Champions League clash against AS Roma on Tuesday night.
Man Utd make contact to hire Eddie Howe as Michael Carrick verdict reached
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe looks dejected after the match
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe looks dejected after the match
That is according to a report from The Guardian, which states Manchester United have now made contact to hire Eddie Howe, with the ex-Newcastle United boss emerging as Jason Wilcox's first-choice option, should Carrick be sacked.
An approach has been made by the Red Devils, who will have to pay Newcastle roughly £3m in compensation should he get the job, and he is open to a move to Old Trafford.
Ex-Bayern Munich and Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann is also a target, with Christopher Vivell regarded as a big admirer, but Carrick is set to remain in charge for the upcoming match against Roma.
Although things fell apart for the 48-year-old at Newcastle last season, he did a solid job at St. James' Park, guiding the Magpies to the Champions League on two occasions, while also lifting the EFL Cup.
However, Newcastle finishing 12th in the Premier League last season is likely to be somewhat concerning, and the ENglishman has never proven himself at one of Europe's top clubs, unlike Nagelsmann, who lifted the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 2022.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick looks dejected after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick looks dejected after the match