Manchester United technical director Jason Wilcox has identified his preferred choice to replace Michael Carrick if the manager’s position becomes untenable, with two other leading candidates already ruled out. Carrick remains under heavy pressure following a difficult start to the season that has seen Manchester United lose five of their opening 11 matches across all competitions.
Pressure Mounts on Carrick After Como Defeat
The latest blow came in the form of a damaging 4-1 defeat away to Serie A side Como on Wednesday. The heavy loss was compounded by events both on the pitch and afterward, leading to public friction within the club.
Following the match, team captain Bruno Fernandes publicly criticized Carrick’s tactical approach. Fernandes faced heavy backlash from pundits, with former United striker Wayne Rooney labeling both him and teammate Lisandro Martinez as “selfish babies.” Martinez had previously criticized technical director Wilcox the week prior.
Despite reports questioning whether Carrick would survive the week, it has been confirmed that he will remain in the dugout for Sunday’s fixture against Bournemouth and fulfill his media duties on Friday afternoon.
Wilcox Weighs Up Successors as Alternatives Fall Away
According to a report from The Athletic, Wilcox continues to back Carrick for now, though co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe could potentially intervene and overrule the director of football. In the meantime, Wilcox is preparing contingencies should a change become necessary.
TalkSPORT chief football correspondent Alex Crook reported that Wilcox is now “leaning towards Eddie Howe.” Howe was previously considered by former sporting director Dan Ashworth to succeed Erik ten Hag before Wilcox ultimately opted for Ruben Amorim.
While recruitment director Christopher Vivell favors Julian Nagelsmann, Wilcox prefers Howe because of his proven Premier League experience. Wilcox’s perspective is expected to carry significant weight with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family. Howe has been available since leaving Newcastle United during the summer, and while he initially desired a longer break from management, he is reportedly open to taking the Old Trafford vacancy.
Meanwhile, two other candidates who met Wilcox’s standards have been dismissed. Unai Emery is considered too expensive to extract from Aston Villa, and Fabian Hürzeler is content at Brighton and unwilling to move to Manchester United at this stage.
