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There is reportedly an expectation within Manchester United that Michael Carrick will be dismissed following Sunday's dreadful loss to Bournemouth, with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann emerging as the two primary "frontrunners" for the position.
United's humiliation at the hands of Bournemouth had been all but confirmed well over an hour before the final whistle. By the time the referee mercifully ended proceedings, the fury behind the boos from Old Trafford had largely dissipated.
Bournemouth's traveling supporters had grown weary of chanting, "You're getting sacked in the morning," instead savoring a thoroughly deserved 3–0 victory just three days after posting the identical scoreline against storied Italian club AC Milan. United's faithful instead filled the stadium with songs backing Carrick, who may serve as the scapegoat but is hardly the root cause of the deep fractures running through this struggling giant.
While players, sporting directors and owners faced the wrath of the crowd, it is the visibly emotional manager who is set to be relieved of his duties, Sky Sports News has reported.
Discussions were already believed to be underway regarding the appointment of a new manager, but those talks have now been "accelerated." Former Newcastle United manager Howe and recently departed Germany national team head coach Nagelsmann appear to be the two names sitting at the top of the shortlist.
Both are currently available, but the similarities stop there. While Howe brings Premier League experience from his spells at Newcastle and Bournemouth, Nagelsmann has never managed outside of Germany. Howe guided Newcastle into the Champions League with an intense high press, while Nagelsmann transformed RB Leipzig by reining in their frantic off-ball work in favor of a possession-based approach.
Howe's composed exterior stands in stark contrast to Nagelsmann's outspoken reputation, which did him few favors during his time at Bayern Munich. Howe wore the same club-shop tracksuit throughout his entire Newcastle tenure, while Nagelsmann changed through four different T-shirts during a single match with Germany at the 2026 World Cup.
That United's list of candidates can feature two such vastly different personalities speaks volumes about the turmoil gripping a club whose problems cannot be resolved by a managerial change alone.
Carrick Has His Say on Man Utd 'Farewell'
Following the 4–1 drubbing handed out by Como earlier in the week, Carrick made his way directly to the soaked Manchester United supporters who had remained until the final whistle, offering both hands in apology. A similar sentiment was on display during Sunday's interaction with the crowd, as the visibly moved manager once again pressed his hand against his chest in an emotional gesture.
The scene was so poignant that Carrick was asked whether he had just completed a farewell lap of Old Trafford. "No, not from me," he told Match of the Day. "There wasn't a tear, just appreciation for the fans and everything they've shown me."
"I've absolutely got the energy—it means so much to me," Carrick continued. "You have matches to focus on and the players to rally. The responsibility that comes with that is something I genuinely enjoy—I love it, it's what I'm here for."
How much longer Carrick will remain in his role is uncertain. The former midfielder pledged to "take responsibility" for a wretched run of results—United's worst in four decades—while stating: "I always do what I believe is going to be best for the football club."
Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox, who were the subject of Lisandro Martínez's recent outburst and unflattering chants from supporters, watched Sunday's collapse from the stands. Difficult conversations may well lie ahead, though Carrick revealed he had not engaged in any meaningful exchange with the executives in their initial post-match interaction.
"No, [they] just briefly came down like they always do after a game, but nothing out of the ordinary," Carrick shrugged.
When pointedly asked whether he expected to be sacked, the embattled head coach responded: "I'm not expecting anything. It's just about processing today—we knew it was a crucial day to try and get things moving in the right direction, and we haven't managed that. For me it's just about taking that in, and the emotions at the end of the game are something I haven't really experienced before."
Carrick Shifts Attention Toward Man Utd Ownership
Toward the end of a tense press conference, Carrick was pressed on how Manchester United have arrived at this point in yet another downward spiral. After all, Bournemouth have gone unbeaten across their last four visits to Old Trafford, claiming victories against three separate managers in the home dugout. As Carrick acknowledged, the blame cannot rest solely with the manager.
"If I truly had the answers, I wouldn't have allowed it to happen," he sighed. "If there was something I could do about it, something I could genuinely control, then I would have done absolutely everything in my power to avoid being in this situation."
It has been 13 years since Manchester United were even in contention for a Premier League title, a period during which the many shortcomings of the club's majority owners, the Glazer family, were masked by Sir Alex Ferguson's brilliance. Sir Jim Ratcliffe stepped in during 2024 to assume control of sporting decisions in an attempt to steer this drifting ship back on course, yet has presided over results that are worse than ever.
At some point, those in positions of authority above the manager may—deliberately or not—be forced to reflect on their own contribution to this continuing catastrophe.