Pochettino, Howe, Emery or Carrick? Man Utd options
Manchester United sit 18th after their worst start since 1986-87. Directors meet in Monaco to decide Michael Carrick's future as elite candidates emerge.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Man Utd endure their worst top-flight start since 1986-87 with one win in 10 matches.
- Directors are scheduled to meet in Monaco on Wednesday to discuss Michael Carrick's future.
- His departure would trigger the club's 8th permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
- Top contenders include Pochettino, Nagelsmann, Howe, Conte, and Emery.
Manchester United are facing a critical juncture after recording just a single victory in their opening 10 Premier League matches, marking their most disastrous start to a top-flight campaign since the 1986-87 season.
Currently sitting 18th in the league table and lingering just one point above bottom-placed Crystal Palace, head coach Michael Carrick finds his 10-month tenure under intense scrutiny from the club hierarchy.
United directors are set to convene in Monaco on Wednesday to evaluate Carrick's position and discuss his ongoing future at Old Trafford. Should the 45-year-old former player leave his post, it would signify the club appointing their eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down 13 years ago—matching the exact number of managerial changes made across the previous 68 years dating back to Sir Matt Busby's appointment in 1945.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
As speculation mounts, BBC Sport has evaluated the leading candidates capable of steering the club forward, beginning with Mauricio Pochettino. The 54-year-old Argentine currently manages the United States national team through to the 2030 World Cup, but his long-standing ties to United, alongside a reported $10 million (£7.44m) buyout clause featuring high-profile release conditions, keep him in the conversation.
"Pochettino averaged 1.89 points per game during his spell at Tottenham, the best ratio of any Spurs manager to have taken charge of 25 or more Premier League games."
BBC Sport
Another prominent name is Julian Nagelsmann. The 39-year-old German resigned from his national team post in the summer following their World Cup exit, but he remains widely regarded as one of Europe's elite tacticians, boasting a strong prior working relationship with United's director of recruitment Christopher Vivell from their days at RB Leipzig.
Holding an emergency board meeting in Monaco highlights the extreme urgency felt by the club's hierarchy. Relegation battles and prolonged poor form pose severe commercial and brand threats that a club of Manchester United's stature cannot tolerate, making the next managerial appointment crucial not just for short-term survival, but for aligning with the club's broader structural vision.
The shortlist is further bolstered by Eddie Howe, who departed Newcastle United in the summer after securing a historic League Cup triumph and top-five finishes, serial winner Antonio Conte following his departure from Napoli, and Aston Villa's tactically astute manager Unai Emery.
Source: BBC Sport
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