The pressure ratcheted up a notch on a dejected-looking Michael Carrick as his rudderless Manchester United side were consigned to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth this weekend.
United went into Sunday’s contest in desperate need of a morale-boosting performance at Old Trafford after a miserable run of seven matches without a win in all competitions.
But it was anything but from Carrick’s men at a shellshocked Theatre of Dreams, where goals from Rayan, James Tavernier and Evanilson ensured United’s worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign continued on.
It was only Marco Rose’s second top-flight victory since his appointment at Bournemouth in the summer, with the struggling Cherries having hovered above the relegation zone for the most part this term.
The result leaves United languishing down in 16th place in the table – just three points better off than rock-bottom Sunderland.
Carrick picked up the pieces from Ruben Amorim’s tumultuous reign back in January and steered United to a third-placed finish and Champions League qualification last season.
It saw the former England international entrusted with the job on a permanent basis in the summer – but just nine months on and there are serious doubts over his immediate future in the north west.
A pair of explosive outbursts from Lisandro Martinez and captain Bruno Fernandes have done little to dampen feelings of an early-season crisis in the north west and it’s clear United’s problems go way beyond the man in the dugout.
The Red Devils’ latest setback will only intensify debate and speculation over potential managerial successors, though, with a host of high-profile names being linked as results have spiralled.
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Eddie Howe is currently the bookmakers’ favourite to take over the reins from Carrick should the latter be relieved of his duties.
The former 48-year-old has been out of a job since stepping down as head coach of Newcastle back in July and is understood to be open to the prospect of taking charge.
Next permanent Manchester United manager odds
Eddie Howe – 8/13
Julian Nagelsmann – 5/1
Antonio Conte – 10/1
Fabian Hurzeler – 10/1
Thomas Tuchel – 16/1
Kieran McKenna – 16/1
Unai Emery – 16/1
Cesc Fabregas – 16/1
Gareth Southgate – 20/1
Mauricio Pochettino – 25/1
Full Sky Bet market odds can be found here.
Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte are among the other leading candidates after their respective departures with Germany and Napoli in the summer.
Like Howe, Conte, formerly the manager of Chelsea and Tottenham, is believed to be perceptive to the idea of taking charge at Old Trafford.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Fabian Hurzeler also finds himself among the bookies’ frontrunners on the back of an excellent start to the Premier League season for his Brighton team.
Hurzeler’s high-flying Seagulls sit third in the English top flight after eight games, behind only Manchester City and reigning champions Arsenal.
Another name linked as an outside bet is Thomas Tuchel, who previously held talks with Sir Jim Ratcliffe before Amorim’s appointment back in 2024.
The 53-year-old put pen to paper on a contract renewal with the England national team in February, though, tying him to the Three Lions until Euro 2028.
Kieran McKenna, Unai Emery, Cesc Fabregas, Gareth Southgate and Mauricio Pochettino find themselves among Sky Bet’s other favourites for the position.
‘It’s a nightmare for Michael Carrick, it’s an absolute nightmare,’ former United right-back Gary Neville said in the closing stages of the club’s defeat to Bournemouth.
‘Those two [Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox] haven’t covered themselves in glory. There have been a series of bad decisions that this club have made over three, four, five years… ten years, you can go back further.
‘Watching Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, both targets for United, play for Tottenham against Chelsea, and watching Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos out there, it’s night and day in terms of quality of players. They run that game for Spurs at Stamford Bridge.
‘The owner’s going to get a whack as well because they’ve been pathetic.’
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Next Man Utd manager odds after dismal defeat to Bournemouth | Football
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