Manchester United are once again looking for a manager, with Michael Carrick’s position already under scrutiny after a poor start to 2026/27.

The optimism that followed his permanent appointment has faded quickly. Carrick signed a two-year deal before United’s 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on the final day of last season, a moment that seemed to promise stability. Instead, the club has slipped back into familiar territory, with a difficult summer and a short-handed squad contributing to the current problems.

Carrick is not the only figure who has to carry some responsibility, but any successor will face the same demands that have undone so many before him. Even so, Manchester United retain enough prestige and pull to attract leading names, and several high-profile managers have been linked with the job.

One of the club’s preferred targets is Unai Emery. Before Aston Villa’s visit to Manchester, there were reports that Emery wanted to remain at Villa Park, and he has spoken about conversations aimed at building a “stronger” project. A contract extension is reportedly close, which would make any approach extremely difficult. Emery has transformed Villa into one of the division’s stronger sides, but his future appears tied to the West Midlands.

Antonio Conte remains the clearest short-term solution if the aim is immediate results. His record in England and Italy is outstanding, with success at Chelsea, Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli. He also delivered an impressive early spell at Tottenham Hotspur, but his intense style and demanding nature are not always easy to manage. Even so, his winning record stands out.

Julian Nagelsmann offers a very different profile. Once a favourite among tactically minded observers, he made his name at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig, reaching the Champions League semifinals with the latter. His spells at Bayern Munich and with the German national team were less convincing, and his stock has dipped further after Germany’s disappointing World Cup exit. He would bring a clear tactical identity, though some feel the concept is stronger than the reality.

Michael Carrick may not have to wait long to find out whether he remains in charge at Manchester United, with a decision now expected by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest.

The club’s international break has offered a pause for reflection after the recent comebacks against Roma and Aston Villa, but those recovery efforts have been offset by what has been described as familiar inefficiency. Reports on Monday night indicated that Carrick’s departure was increasingly likely, while stressing that no final call had yet been made. That timetable has now become clearer.

According to BBC Sport, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United’s minority co-owner and the man with control of sporting matters, is due to meet Berrada and Wilcox in Monaco on Wednesday to settle Carrick’s future. The same report adds that any announcement may not come until Thursday.

There remains some room for further discussion, helped by the fact that Manchester United do not play again until their trip to arch rivals Liverpool on Sunday, Nov. 22, following the international break.

The delay comes after a difficult run of managerial decisions under Ratcliffe, who has already overseen two costly and unsuccessful appointments. He first extended Erik ten Hag’s contract before replacing him with Ruben Amorim, who was then removed after just over a year. Against that backdrop, this latest call carries obvious weight, even if the wait itself is proving costly in its own way.

Carrick, for his part, has continued to conduct himself without complaint despite the speculation. He even said he was “really looking forward” to each next fixture.

After Sunday’s 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, Carrick rejected suggestions that he might walk away and instead pointed firmly toward the next match. “I’m quite clear with what direction the club needs to go in, and it’s got to win games,” he sniffed .

Michael Carrick gave little away when asked whether Manchester United’s hierarchy would use the international break to discuss his position. “Will there?” he replied, after a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth had already deepened the pressure around the club.

That result had initially earned him a brief reprieve, but the picture at Old Trafford remained bleak. United followed with a collapse against Chelsea, then recovered to beat Roma in midweek before the dramatic meeting with Villa. Even with that mixed run, the team’s worst start in 40 years has left them in the relegation zone for at least another fortnight, and questions over Carrick’s future have only grown louder.

Sky Sports reporter Patrick Davison suggested the club’s leaders may now be weighing up what comes next. Carrick, though, pushed back sharply. “You’re telling me,” he said. “I’m quite clear with what direction the club needs to go in, and it’s got to win games. We haven’t won enough games, but I expect to move forward and keep working on the things that we’ve been working on and showing a lot of the good in the game today, tighten up on a few mistakes and win football matches.”

He was equally direct when asked whether he might resign. “I’m not,” he said.

For all the uncertainty, Carrick’s attachment to the job appears strong. A former United player for 12 years, he has family ties to the club and still follows the standards set by Sir Alex Ferguson. Former midfielder Nicky Butt has said Carrick had ruled out management, except at the club he values most.

There is also no sign that he has mentally checked out. Even before the recent revival, he was said to be “really looking forward” to the Roma game.

Whether he walks away or is moved on now rests elsewhere. Manchester United’s chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Jason Wilcox will help advise Sir Jim Ratcliffe on whether the club should pursue a fourth permanent manager in two years. For now, the results have bought time, but not certainty.