There’s already an obvious Carrick replacement on the market for Man Utd

Having won 11 of his 16 games in charge last season, the drop off has been stark for Michael Carrick in the Manchester United dugout this time around.

Heading into Sunday’s crucial clash with Leeds United, the Englishman has won just two of nine in all competitions this season, having fallen to defeat again in midweek against Atletico Madrid.

It is somewhat fitting that a trip to Elland Road is next on the agenda, with that having been the venue for Ruben Amorim’s self-implosion back in January.

Remembering Amorim’s Elland Road meltdown

The current mood feels akin to the situation surrounding Old Trafford over the festive period, with that man Amorim coming under fire for his stubborn refusal to shift to a back four, not least amid the dismal 1-1 draw with bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers.

That result marked a dour way to end 2025, while United began the new calendar year by being forced to settle for a point again against Leeds, Matheus Cunha equalising late on following Joshua Zirkzee’s threaded assist.

The Red Devils lay in sixth and just three points off fourth at the time, yet the ever-honest Amorim proceeded to almost talk himself out of the job post-match.

Following an initially routine press conference, the enigmatic Portuguese coach came alive with the final question of the day, outlining his intention to be the ‘manager’ of Manchester United, rather than the ‘head coach’.

That outburst had come amid rumblings of behind-the-scenes tension with the likes of Jason Wilcox regarding Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 set-up, with INEOS ultimately deciding to pull the plug that week.

The mild-mannered Carrick is unlikely to produce similar fireworks on Sunday, but this remains a vital fixture nonetheless.

Why Leeds trip could be make or break for Carrick

Lisandro Martinez may have directed his fury toward Wilcox and co, but the back stops with Carrick in terms of on-field results and performances.

REUTERS/Susana Vera

Yes, he may not have received the level of backing that many felt was needed, yet that doesn’t excuse the decline that has been seen by effectively the same group of players as last season.

United embarked on almost title-winning form after Carrick took charge, yet now they can’t buy a win, having only seen off Sabah and newly-promoted Ipswich Town so far in 2026/27.

Last weekend’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur was particularly bleak, as the hosts were simply overrun right from the word go, no doubt left thankful for some wayward finishing from Roberto De Zerbi’s men.

If Leeds fly out the traps in similar fashion in front of a raucous Elland Road crowd, the fear is that the result could be far more damaging, with Daniel Farke’s side inflicting Carrick’s first home defeat in charge back in April.

With a string of experienced managers on the market too, INEOS may decide to act quickly in order to stop the bleeding.

The standout candidate to replace Carrick is obvious

The first port of call should be to turf out the decision-makers at Old Trafford, with it potentially set to be a third season in a row that INEOS make a mid-season change in the dugout.

That doesn’t speak to a club that is competent and aligned, with there little hope too of Wilcox and co actually making the right decision when it comes to naming Carrick’s replacement.

In an ideal world, the Red Devils would be ruthless and go out to try and get an elite-level coach who is currently in post, be it a Thomas Tuchel or Luis Enrique.

That’s fanciful talk, however, not least considering how this United hierarchy works, with the club instead likely to look to the free agent market.

Antonio Conte has been widely tipped for the role, but a more suitable, obvious solution might well be Eddie Howe, the Englishman out of work himself after leaving Newcastle United over the summer.

Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Now, the 48-year-old isn’t the most exciting, glamorous appointment, certainly more in the Carrick than the Amorim mould in terms of the gripping nature of his press conferences.

And yet, he’s undoubtedly a man of vast experience and proven Premier League quality, even while just three years older than Carrick, having previously solidified Bournemouth as a top-flight club after leading them through the divisions.

It is his work at Newcastle that might particularly appeal to INEOS, however, the Amersham-born tactician having arrived mid-season back in late 2021, with the Magpies staring down the barrel of relegation at the time.

While aided by the Saudi PIF investment in the January, Howe did steer the club to safety in comfortable fashion, before ending the following season by securing Champions League qualification.

REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

He secured that achievement on two occasions across his time at St James’ Park, having also reached the Carabao Cup final twice, losing to United in 2023, before beating Liverpool to end the Tynesiders’ lengthy trophy drought in 2025.

It may have all gone a little stale last season, as Newcastle finished in mid-table, but Howe is a fine tactician at Premier League level, hailed previously by Jamie Carragher as the “best English coach by a million miles”.

He’s also been namedropped by Roy Keane earlier this year as the man he’d like to see in the Old Trafford dugout, while recent reports have suggested that INEOS themselves are also starting to look in his direction.

He’s young, experienced, available and an undoubted upgrade on Carrick, with it all feeling rather inevitable that Howe will be in the post before too long.

Much depends on what occurs at Elland Road on Sunday.