Premier League: Carrick and Le Bris on the brink at Manchester United and Sunderland

Carrick and Le Bris face the sack after defeats to Chelsea and Coventry; United target Emery but Aston Villa resist.

Michael Carrick's position at Manchester United has become precarious following a 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea on Saturday in the ninth Premier League round. The former England midfielder took charge mid-season 2025-26 and guided United to the Champions League, but the team has now gone nine matches without a win across all competitions and sits 17th in the table. United's board has identified Aston Villa manager Unai Emery as a potential replacement, though Villa are reluctant to negotiate.

former Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris faces similar pressure after a 3-1 away loss to Coventry. The French coach's side remain bottom of the Premier League with just one league win all season—a 1-0 victory over Fulham on 30 August. Despite guiding Sunderland to fourth place and Europa League qualification in his first season, Le Bris's start to 2025-26 has been catastrophic, and internal relations with senior players have deteriorated.