Carrick watched the under-21s while United’s bosses met about his future, and he is still in charge for now

Manchester United’s two most senior football executives spent Monday at Carrington discussing whether to sack Michael Carrick. Carrick was there for part of it too, watching the under-21s play Hull City behind closed doors, but he was not in the meeting. By the evening the club had said nothing, and according to The Independent he stays on for now, with the first team back in training on Tuesday.

Three hours at the training ground

Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox arrived at the training ground on Monday morning, less than 24 hours after the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. Carrick turned up shortly before 2pm for the under-21 game and left a few hours later, after Wilcox had already gone.

On Sunday night it had looked as if the decision would be quick. Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports that Carrick “needs to be relieved of his duties tonight”, and Gary Neville said United were probably going to sack him. Neither of them got their way on Monday. The Independent reports that Carrick is preparing for the trip to Chelsea as he normally would.

What he is being judged on

The numbers have not got any better since Sunday. United have gone eight games without a win in all competitions and have won two of their 12 this season. Seven points from eight league games is their worst start since 1986, and it leaves them 16th, one point above the relegation zone.

The last two results were the worst of the lot. United lost 4-1 at Como in the Champions League, and then Bournemouth won at Old Trafford with Bruno Fernandes on the bench for the full 90 minutes. Fernandes had said after Como that the tactics were “on the manager and on the staff”. Carrick called leaving him out a “pure football” decision.

The supporters, at least, did not go after Carrick. The Independent reports that their anger on Sunday was aimed at the players, the Glazers, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Ineos hierarchy, Wilcox included.

Howe and Nagelsmann lead the list

If United do make a change, two names keep coming up. Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are both out of work, and The Independent has them as the frontrunners. Unai Emery has been considered too, but Aston Villa would want compensation for him. Howe and Nagelsmann would cost nothing to bring in.

Any new coach would inherit the same squad problems. United spent heavily on three midfielders in the summer, Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, and did not sign a back-up left-back or another forward.

Three games before the break

Whoever is in the dugout faces a hard run before the November international break. United go to Chelsea on Saturday, 31 October, host Roma in the Champions League on 3 November and then play Aston Villa at Old Trafford on 8 November. The first game after the break is at Anfield on 22 November.

For Carrick, Monday bought him a training session and possibly a week. If the board are still undecided by Saturday, Stamford Bridge becomes his chance to change their minds, and on current form that is a lot to ask.

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