Normal services has resumed at Manchester United. They are the laughing stock of English football once again.
This was always in the script, wasn’t it? United have been here before. Remember when they hired interim head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a permanent basis? It didn’t exactly go well.
History is now repeating itself with Michael Carrick. It’s their worst start to a league season in 40 years. They have never started a Premier League campaign in poorer fashion.
The pressure is ramping up on Carrick, particularly with some of his key players now beginning to call things out. Lisandro Martinez hit out at the hierarchy after Tuesday’s defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes should also feel rather aggrieved at the moment. His fine form last season was not rewarded with a trophy, and he has regressed in 2026/27.
How Bruno Fernandes has regressed in 2026/27
Last season Fernandes was the king of English football. Sure, he may not have won the Premier League title like Declan Rice or even reached a Champions League final.
However, he was officially crowned not just the best midfielder in the top flight but the best player in general when he walked away with all of the top individual awards, most notably the PFA Player of the Season gong.
It was a jaw-dropping year for the Portuguese who broke Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s record of 20 assists across a single Premier League campaign. Once all was said and done, Fernandes registered 21 assists.
This term has been a very different story so far. The skipper did score a hat-trick against Ipswich Town in United’s finest display of the season but on the assist front, he has just one to shout about in 2026/27. His displays have been a far cry from what we saw last time out.
The data is not pleasant reading for Fernandes who, while scoring more goals per 90 minutes this term, has been way below his best when it comes to creative, dribbling and duel-winning metrics.
Still, it’s not all his own fault. As Martinez said earlier this week, better investment was expected over the summer.
Why Fernandes will be angry at the board
When Fernandes hangs up his boots at the end of his career, will there be regret about how he wasted his best years? Quite possibly.
This is one of the best creators we have seen in the Premier League since its inception. His performance levels have been Hall of Fame type stuff.
Yet, he does not have a league winner’s medal to show for his efforts. He has won a plethora of domestic cups, including the FA Cup and League Cup, but you get the sense that doesn’t overly satisfy the 32-year-old.
So, like Martinez, he should be incredibly frustrated with the board. For much of his United career, Fernandes has played under rocky circumstances. He’s played for managers who look out of their depth and he’s not had a competent striker ahead of him for what feels like forever.
Despite all of that, Fernandes has still been a marvel. Just imagine what he could do under one of the best managers in the business.
The manager who can revive Fernandes
So, perhaps the board could look to smooth things over and get Fernandes back to his best with a change of head coach.
Carrick is walking on extremely thin ice at the moment and it only feels like a matter of time before Jason Wilcox and Co give him his marching orders.
Who could the replacement be? Well, one option could be to turn to Eddie Howe. Speculation is mounting regarding his future at the moment, but there’s another out-of-work manager who has been considered.
He goes by the name of Antonio Conte and what a hire this could be, particularly for Fernandes.
Now, Conte does come with a lot of baggage. He’d undoubtedly want to be made one of the best-paid managers in the division, and he’s used to kicking up a stink. Remember the way he left Tottenham? In one final act of service, he criticised the Spurs board, particularly Daniel Levy. It was a decision that made his position in north London untenable.
Yet, at the end of the day, this is one of the best managers of the 21st century we’re talking about here. He’s won the Premier League with Chelsea and more recently, he lifted the Serie A title at Napoli.
|
Conte’s record in the Premier League |
|
|---|---|
|
Clubs |
Chelsea & Spurs |
|
Games |
132 |
|
Wins |
83 |
|
Draws |
19 |
|
Defeats |
30 |
|
Goals scored |
259 |
|
Goals conceded |
135 |
|
Best finish |
1st |
The 57-year-old is currently out of work and according to Fabrizio Romano, he would be keen on managing a ‘historic’ club like United.
Speaking about the saga on his YouTube channel, he said: “Conte is one of the main names we see linked with Manchester United.”
Romano continued: “There is still nothing advanced or concrete between Conte and Man United. But, the biggest point in the story is that, compared to other situations in the past when Conte always wanted to wait for a new season and have his own squad, in this case Conte is open, in general, not just to Manchester United, but to taking a job mid-season. Conte, if it’s a historical club in Europe, he is for sure open to the opportunity.”
For Fernandes, this is the type of appointment he has been waiting for. While he will need the recruitment to improve, this is a manager who has managed some of the best players of the modern era.
The two top scorers under his tutelage are Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane. Two of the three top assisters are Andrea Pirlo and Cesc Fabregas. Eden Hazard is also included among the top six.
This is a manager who knows how to manage the best; he’s a manager who knows how to handle big egos and large personalities. It feels like the type of appointment United’s captain has been longing for throughout the years.
