Manchester United board hold crisis talks over Carrick's future and Howe approach

Manchester United's board are considering sacking Carrick after a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth; Eddie Howe is the preferred replacement candidate.

Manchester United's hierarchy held crisis talks on Sunday following a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth that left manager Michael Carrick's position in serious doubt. Carrick insisted he was not expecting to be sacked, but the club's executive were actively considering the move, according to the Guardian.

Carrick made a controversial decision to leave captain Bruno Fernandes out of the starting lineup, citing football reasons rather than any response to Fernandes' recent criticism of his tactics. The defeat was United's sixth in 12 games across all competitions, leaving them 16th in the Premier League with only one league win all season.

Should United decide to make a change, Eddie Howe, the former Newcastle manager, is director of football Jason Wilcox's top candidate. Howe's extensive Premier League experience makes him preferable to other targets like Unai Emery, who would cost around £20m in compensation from Aston Villa. Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte are also being considered. Despite the pressure, Carrick said he would continue to do his best for the club, while defender Harry Maguire insisted the squad remained fully behind the manager.