Eddie Howe smiling on touchline with Michael Carrick clapping fans
Eddie Howe smiling on touchline with Michael Carrick clapping fans
Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are each interested in taking the job immediately after Carrick's potential dismissal.
Sources say that it is likely the manager could be sacked if they are well beaten by Aston Villa on Sunday.
United's chiefs have given him ample time to turn things around and could make a decision with the international break on the horizon.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, Howe would jump at the chance to manage United after several months out of a job.
He is a frontrunner to be Carrick's successor at Old Trafford, while Nagelsmann is also a potential candidate and would be ready to replace the outgoing manager.
Eddie Howe is keen on taking the Man United job
Howe stepped down as Newcastle manager just weeks before the start of the campaign, as he felt he had taken their team as far as he could following five years in charge.
He has been heavily linked to Old Trafford amid doubts over Carrick and is prepared to take charge next week if the 45-year-old is axed.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "Carrick has presided over their worst start to the season in 40 years so the pressure is pretty intense still on Carrick as well and you know just one bad result and it’ll all come back on him again.
"I think they [Howe and Nagelsmann] are interested and ready if the job does become available."
Howe is the bookmakers' favourite to be next United boss
Howe seems like the obvious choice for United after Carrick, given his extensive Premier League experience and the fact he is out of work.
He is the favourite to be in the Old Trafford dugout next with several top bookmakers, at a best price of 4/6, while Nagelsmann comes in as second favourite at 10/3.
Antonio Conte is without work right now and comes in at 6/1, while Unai Emery has been linked with the job and is a best price of 8/1.