Manchester United winger Amad Diallo has drawn praise from club coaches who have otherwise been left stunned by the poor behaviour and lack of accountability among players during a difficult run under manager Michael Carrick.
Coaches Shocked and Amad Singularly Praised
Carrick finds himself under mounting pressure after Manchester United suffered five defeats in their opening 11 matches across all competitions. The struggles worsened following a damaging 4-1 loss to Serie A side Como in the Champions League, a match where captain Bruno Fernandes publicly criticized the manager’s tactics.
Fernandes faced heavy criticism from pundits following his post-match remarks, with former forward Wayne Rooney labeling both him and teammate Lisandro Martinez as “selfish babies.” ESPN reported that senior staff at Old Trafford were appalled by the team’s display in Italy, noting that numerous players are failing to take personal responsibility for the ongoing slump.
Among the squad, Diallo—who replaced Matheus Cunha at half-time during the Como fixture—was singled out as the only individual to emerge from the match with any credit.
Managerial Uncertainty and Potential Replacements
Despite speculation surrounding his immediate future, it has been confirmed that Carrick will remain in charge for the upcoming fixture against Bournemouth and will attend his scheduled media duties. However, reports indicate that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe could ultimately intervene to dismiss the former midfielder, even as technical director Jason Wilcox maintains his backing.
Should the managerial position become untenable, Wilcox is reportedly leaning toward former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe due to his extensive Premier League experience. While recruitment director Christopher Vivell has pushed for Julian Nagelsmann, Wilcox’s preference for Howe is expected to carry significant weight with the club’s hierarchy.
Howe has been available since leaving Newcastle during the summer and is believed to hold an interest in the vacancy should it become available. Alternative candidates such as Unai Emery and Fabian Hürzeler were also considered by Wilcox, though Emery’s release from Aston Villa would prove too costly, and Hürzeler remains content at Brighton.
