Manchester United's bosses are in shock following the team's performance in the Champions League away match against Como, which ended in a crushing 4-1 defeat. According to The Times, the hierarchy feels that the players should share the responsibility for this alarming downturn.
Michael Carrick's position as head coach now hangs by a thread; however, key figures within the club express some sympathy for him, having noted that the Italian side outperformed the Mancunians in terms of effort. Statistics reveal that Como covered 4.2 kilometres more than United and registered eight shots on target—twice as many as their opponents. Adding to the turmoil, tensions have risen in the squad following a conflict between Carrick and Bruno Fernandes, who publicly questioned his tactical decisions after being substituted in the 67th minute.
The fate of Carrick will be decided before United's Premier League clash against Bournemouth this Sunday, with CEO Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox, and co-owner Jim Ratcliffe making the crucial call.
Disagreements over Carrick's successor
As reported by the Daily Mail, the internal tension at Manchester United has extended to the higher echelons of the club. Jason Wilcox and recruitment director Christopher Vivell differ over potential candidates to take charge should Carrick be dismissed.
Vivell is advocating for Julian Nagelsmann, with whom he worked at RB Leipzig. Notably, Vivell had previously pushed for Nagelsmann's appointment at Chelsea in 2023 before leaving the London club due to disagreements with the hierarchy.
Meanwhile, Wilcox prefers managers with Premier League experience. His shortlist includes Fabian Hürzeler, Antonio Conte, Eddie Howe, and Unai Emery.
The club is in no rush to make a definitive decision, with Carrick set to remain in charge for at least the upcoming match against Bournemouth. The hierarchy is also aware of depth issues in the squad due to nine injured players and plans to reassess their transfer strategy, which has failed to adequately prepare the team for competition across various tournaments.
