Manchester United are unlikely to appoint another interim head coach if they decide to replace Michael Carrick in the coming weeks, according to reports. Carrick’s position is under growing pressure after he won just one of his last 10 games in charge.
Carrick still has support among the United hierarchy, though there is a lingering concern that changing the head coach may not change the team’s fortunes. The Champions League victory over Roma on Tuesday night has eased the pressure and boosted belief in both the changing room and the boardroom. It was United’s first win in 10 matches in all competitions.
Doubts remain over the direction of the team
One win alone is not enough to turn around a season, and the club’s bosses recognise that. United remain 17th in the Premier League, outside the relegation places only on goal difference. The Roma win was also chaotic. The players showed character to come back from 2-0 down, but it took a re-taken Bruno Fernandes penalty to turn the match. United’s bosses still have doubts about the team’s direction and its lack of consistency.
Carrick was given the top job on a two-year contract in May, after an impressive spell as interim head coach that secured Champions League football. Many United fans wanted the former midfielder appointed permanently. United’s bosses nonetheless insisted on a thorough process when they spoke to other candidates before choosing Carrick. The club is thought to be keen to avoid repeating that process with another interim coach, as it seeks a longer-term strategy for its most important football role.
Options under consideration
Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada, who run United’s football operations, are still weighing other options in case they feel a change is needed. The international break next week offers a chance to pause and reassess. Many believe the home match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday will be a key moment for Carrick’s future.
Villa’s position has also changed the picture. The club has announced that it is close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Unai Emery, with a long-term strategy built around the Spaniard and his staff. That is a blow to United, as Emery had been high on their list of potential targets. He has twice secured Champions League football for Villa and won the Europa League in May, the club’s first European trophy in over four decades. Villa’s owners are adamant that Emery is going nowhere, and United always understood that pursuing him, especially mid-season, would be difficult and expensive.
As a result, United’s bosses have stayed open-minded about other candidates, with Julian Nagelsmann, Fabian Hurzeler and Eddie Howe prominent in their thinking. So far, United have not spoken directly to any other coach, as there is no current vacancy. The preferred outcome on all sides is for results to improve and for Carrick to remain in charge.