What INEOS has in store for Michael Carrick if things go south

Signs of managerial stress at Manchester United are evident with alarming predictability. The manager's smile fades, press conference responses grow hazy, strands of grey hair appear, and deep furrows etch into their forehead. This path has previously been trodden by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag, and Ruben Amorim. Now, the spotlight is on Michael Carrick.

After a disappointing draw against Everton (2:2), Carrick claimed that the start to the 2026/27 season was “not so bad.” This response incited outrage among supporters. INEOS, under Jim Ratcliffe's guidance, knows how to elevate teams to championship levels—as seen with Kimi Antonelli's victory at the Monza Grand Prix in Formula 1—thus preparing a clear contingency plan in case of setbacks.

Alarm bells ringing at the start of the season

In May, Carrick signed a full contract until 2028. The faith shown by the hierarchy was earned: after taking charge in January, he guided the team to 11 wins in 16 Premier League games, securing a third-place finish and a Champions League spot.

However, the opening three fixtures of the new season have yielded just four points:

• A shocking 0-2 defeat at home to newly promoted Hull City;
• A thrilling 5-2 win against Ipswich Town, capped by a hat-trick from Bruno Fernandes;
• A dramatic 2-2 draw with Everton, where United twice took the lead but conceded in stoppage time.

Club legends are already raising alarms. Wayne Rooney has warned of the threat of an imminent sacking, while Gary Neville has pointed to a recurrence of old defensive issues. The hierarchy invested about £155 million in strengthening the midfield during the summer, so an immediate dismissal isn’t on the cards just yet. However, upcoming fixtures against Azerbaijan’s Sabah in the Champions League and a tough derby clash with Manchester City, who are currently perfect in the league, could turn mild concern into a full-blown crisis.

The fate of five candidates from INEOS’s secret list

Previously, the hierarchy identified a shortlist of five potential replacements for Carrick. This list included Julian Nagelsmann, Unai Emery, Oliver Glasner, Andoni Iraola, and Roberto De Zerbi.

Since then, the coaching landscape has shifted dramatically:

• Julian Nagelsmann: Left his position as Germany's head coach by mutual consent in July after the team's World Cup exit, paving the way for Jurgen Klopp. The German is available for hire, but his ambitions will need to align with the club's model.
• Andoni Iraola: Departed Bournemouth and took charge at Liverpool, making him completely unattainable.
• Oliver Glasner: Following his triumph in the Conference League with Crystal Palace, he didn't wait for a call from Manchester and accepted the role at Nottingham Forest.
• Roberto De Zerbi: Signed a long-term contract with Tottenham Hotspur in March 2026 and is immersed in the Spurs project.
• Unai Emery: Continues to manage Aston Villa. While the Basque coach is stable, insiders at ESPN suggest his desire for total control over transfers conflicts with United's management structure.

A new power structure at Old Trafford

The club's sporting department, led by Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox, and Christopher Vivell, has established a system that avoids concentrating absolute power in one individual’s hands. The era of a single manager dictating transfer policy has firmly gone.

An example is Newcastle United, where sporting director Ross Wilson had planned a successor several months before Eddie Howe’s exit. The Manchester United hierarchy is continually monitoring the market. INEOS’s Plan B does not involve pursuing high-profile names but seeks a tactically mature coach able to develop youth and work seamlessly within the established club structure.

Status of candidates from INEOS’s preliminary list: