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 only one of his last 10 games in charge, but he still has support within the club’s hierarchy.
The Champions League win over Roma on Tuesday night 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. Even so, the club’s leadership recognizes that one victory alone will not turn around the season. United remain 17th in the Premier League, outside the relegation places only on goal difference, and the win over Roma was chaotic.
The team’s character in coming back from 2-0 down suggests the players are still behind Carrick. However, it took a re-taken Bruno Fernandes penalty to turn the match, and United’s bosses still have doubts about the team’s direction and its lack of consistency.
A Difficult Decision
Carrick was given the top job on a two-year basis in May, after a strong record as interim head coach that secured Champions League football. Many United fans called for their former midfielder to be appointed permanently, and the club’s bosses carried out a thorough process of speaking to other candidates before they chose him.
United would reportedly prefer not to repeat that approach by installing another interim head coach, as they aim to take a longer-term strategy for their most important football role. Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada, who run United’s football operations, are still weighing other options should they decide a change is needed. With the international break next week offering time to reassess, many feel that Sunday’s home game against Aston Villa at Old Trafford will be a key match for Carrick’s future.
Villa’s Move Complicates Things
Aston Villa, Sunday’s opponents, are reportedly close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Unai Emery, with a long-term strategy built around him and his staff. That development is a blow to United. Emery was high on United’s list of potential targets because he has twice secured Champions League football for Villa and won the Europa League in May, the club’s first European trophy in more than four decades.
United had long recognized that moving Emery from Villa Park would be difficult and expensive, especially during the season, and Villa’s owners have insisted he is going nowhere. As a result, United have remained open-minded about other candidates, with Julian Nagelsmann, Fabian Hurzeler and Eddie Howe prominent in their thinking. However, United have not spoken directly to any other coach, as there is no current vacancy. The preferred outcome for everyone involved is an improvement in results that keeps Carrick in charge.