Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Old Trafford

Manchester United's hierarchy eventually backed Erik ten Hag after talking with alternatives in the wake of the shock 2024 FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City, spending over £200m on the likes of Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte.

Last week, Ten Hag told the Athletic, external the club went back on a promise not to sell homegrown Scotland international Scott McTominay to fund Ugarte's £50m move from Paris St-Germain. They sacked the Dutchman in October 2024.

After that they persuaded Ruben Amorim to leave Sporting mid-season, when he wanted to wait until the summer.

They stuck with him after an unprecedented 15th-place finish, and again after United lost to League Two Grimsby in the EFL Cup, then sacked him in January when he clashed with director of football Jason Wilcox over the playing style.

That led to Michael Carrick's arrival to the end of the season, which turned into a permanent appointment after he guided the club back into the Champions League after a two-year absence.

A third dismissal in three seasons would not reflect well on anyone.

A number of names have been doing the rounds on the gossip pages.

Antonio Conte felt the need to release a statement on Friday to scupper rumours that he was in advanced negotiations with the board and demanded full control over transfers.

That followed a Telegraph report that former Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann, external would be interested to speak with the club's power-brokers, if the position became available.

And the latest is that former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe would also be open to holding talks, if Michael Carrick was to leave his post.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United seem to be stuck in a managerial cycle they can't break.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure in 2013, several managers have tried and failed to restore the club to it's former success.

Ruben Amorim was sacked in January, despite losing just one of his final six Premier League games.

Now, 10 months later, Michael Carrick is facing mounting pressure after a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como and a 3-0 loss to Bournemouth.

United have won just one of their eight league games this season, with only two wins in 12 matches across all competitions. (The United Strand is never going to cut his hair...)

Looking back at previous managers, David Moyes lasted less than a season, while Louis van Gaal was dismissed shortly after winning the FA Cup.

Jose Mourinho's time ended after poor results and tensions with players and the club.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also sacked after a disappointing run.

Erik ten Hag also paid the price for a poor start to the season, despite winning two trophies.

Amorim's exit came after increasing public tensions with the club's leadership, in particular Jason Wilcox, and their apparent desire to move him away from his preferred 3-4-3 system.

If Carrick is the next to go, the club must ask whether another manager will solve the problems that have always seemed to haunt them.

That's Sir Alex to you Steven.

Just joking. Your point does beg the question of what Harry Maguire is supposed to call his manager?

I guess 'gaffer' is tried and tested, but how long does a manager need to be in the job before they rise to that elevated status?

The problem at Manchester United since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure is that no managers have been around long enough to find out...

Steven, Glasgow: One telling thing from Harry Maguire's post-match interview is him calling his boss Michael. You wouldn't have seen any players from the Fergie era calling him Alex.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Old Trafford

On Friday, as he looked back on that 4-1 loss to Como and ahead to Bournemouth, Michael Carrick said: "We'll be a different team on Sunday. We have to be a different team on Sunday."

Sadly, they weren't.

Carrick could not answer if he will still be in charge for next Saturday's trip to Chelsea. He does not know.

"The responsibility is mine," he said. "What else can I say really right now? I totally understand the situation. I'm not expecting anything either way. I love this place and I'll always do what I feel is going to be the best for the football club."

Whether the players at Manchester United are up to the task is one question.

Another is whether head coach Michael Carrick is the right person to lead them?

And the final poser is whether the people running the club are up to the job?

We are going to look at the management and hierarchy questions next, but we would also love your answers to all of these questions...

Just click 'Get Involved' to have your say.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United's latest defeat raises another familiar question: Is the squad actually good enough?

Sunday's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth was another damaging afternoon for Michael Carrick, but the statistics make uncomfortable reading for the players too.

United registered five shots on target but failed to create a single big chance. They are averaging just 1.3 goals per game this season, highlighting their struggle to turn possession into an attacking threat.

Their wider record isn't great either, according to Opta, since the 2023-24 season, no Premier League side has lost more home games by a margin of three or more goals in all competitions than United, with seven.

Bournemouth also outworked their opponents, while experienced players including Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot and Bryan Mbeumo struggled to make an impact.

Carrick can only work with the players available to him. If United continue to deliver these sort of performances, how much of the problem lies with the manager? And how much lies with the squad itself?

Ashley Young
Former Man Utd player on Sky Sports

It's disappointing to see Michael Carrick like that. I wish there were players who knew and had the love for the club that he's got.

The players might look dejected, but I think Michael knows that the writing is on the wall.

There have been different managers [in recent seasons] but it's the same players. There have been a few changes in players but they're just not showing anything.

You could tell today that it was like they'd given up - they're not running for this manager and they're not wanting to fight.

The fans deserve so much more, you can tell they want more and they know he's been let down by those players.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Carrick said in his post-match news conference on Sunday that he did not know if he would be staying in charge of Manchester United, but took responsibility for the 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth:

Emotions after the game: "Really mixed emotions, I didn’t really expect that off the supporters but I have always felt the support and that connection with them, you are probably sick of me saying it the amount of respect I have them but it meant a lot and to go through such a difficult period, it is hard to take.

On what he said to the players: "It is not something to discuss in the changing room there is a lot of emotion in the dressing room, a lot of disappointment, a lot of the boys quite hurt. It is not that they don’t care. This is a position we find ourselves in. The ones I have spoken to it is affecting them a lot, the way it is not going our way. There is only so much, the way the game ended the atmosphere, the dynamics."

On whether he expects to stay in charge: I don’t know. I take the responsibility of course I do. I accept the responsibility, whatever happens results wise. The responsibility is mine.

On whether director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada will say anything: "It is not for me to say who speaks or when they speak. I know my role to speak to you guys and represent the football club as best as I can. The feelings of frustration and support, it gives me really mixed feelings. It was a difficult day for sure."

On whether he expects to be sacked: "I totally understand the situation. I am not expecting anything, I am carrying on as normal, I love this place, always carry on doing what I think is the best for the football club."

On whether he is shocked at how poor this season has been so far: "Certainly to get to this point there is a lot of questions to find the answers to but last season to finish third was a really good achievement in the circumstances, to get to where we did. We understood where that left us and what needed to improve and where we were at. We definitely knew we hadn’t cracked it and there was a lot of work to be done but it didn’t have to go this way

On reasons why: "Probably a number of things. If I really had the answers I wouldn’t have let it happen. I have tried to do everything I can to not be in this position but for a number of reasons we have not been able to stop that happening

"Consistency and getting a level of consistency going forward and striving for more. Consistency is everything. There is a number of things you can look at."

Plenty for us to Google there Jon, sidestepping the tried and tested Roman Empire for the Assyrian and Mali.

It's not every day you see Manchester United's proud history likened to that of the Qing Dynasty, but I will certainly preserve your right to do so.

Whatever comparisons you make, United head coach Michael Carrick says their current demise is "hard to take"...

• Manchester United have won just seven points from eight Premier League games this season (W1 D4 L3), their lowest at this stage of a league season since 1986-87 (4).
• Man Utd suffered their heaviest home Premier League defeat since losing 3-0 to Bournemouth in December 2024.
• It was Bournemouth’s third win by 3+ goals away at Old Trafford, with only Liverpool achieving that more often since 1992-93 (4 times).
• Manchester United are eight games without a win in all competitions (D3 L5) for the first time since November/December 2015.
• They’ve lost consecutive games twice in this run, having not suffered back-to-back defeats at all in the 2025-26 season.
• Since the 2023-24 season, no Premier League side has lost more home games by a margin of three or more goals in all competitions than Man Utd (7).
• Bruno Fernandes was named on the subs bench for a Premier League game for Manchester United for only the sixth time, and the first time ever under Michael Carrick.
• This was only the second time he was an unused sub, along with May 2025 vs Brentford.

Harry Maguire, who Michael Carrick gave the captain's armband after dropping Bruno Fernandes, told Sky Sports that "something needs to change" - but he was referring to the players' performances, rather than the manager:

"It wasn't good enough. Disappointed to give a goal away so early - another set play - and conceding first in the Premier League it makes it difficult.

"A mistake for the second makes it hard for ourselves. We didn't perform well enough as individuals or as a team and we didn't deserve anything from the game.

"It's not clicking at the moment. Results are not good enough and performances in the last week not good enough. Still early in the season.

"Got to find something, question yourself, look in the mirror - that's the most important thing - think what you can do more and what more you can contribute to the team and if we do that we'll get somewhere."

Feel responsibility? "Of course - you have to look after your own performances and take responsibility. This is a huge club and every day you have to prove why you're wearing this badge.

"At the moment we're not doing enough as players. Michael [Carrick] turned our season on its head last year and we played brilliant football and got brilliant results. This season we haven't performed well enough as individuals."

Conversation in player group? "If those conversations happen it will remain private. We want to do more be better and get better results. At the moment it's nowhere near good enough and something needs to change."

Image source, Getty Images

Talking about blame, there were plenty of fingers pointing at Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes as he warmed up on the touchline at Old Trafford on Sunday...destined never to make it on to the pitch after his criticism of Michael Carrick's tactics in midweek.

The United skipper has now added another talking point to an increasingly difficult week by supposedly liking an Instagram reel, external with the caption: "Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care."

The social media activity comes after Fernandes publicly questioned United's tactics following Wednesday's 4-1 defeat by Como, before being left out of the starting XI for Sunday's 3-0 loss to Bournemouth.

Whether his latest social media activity is connected to his current situation remains unclear, with Fernandes not speaking about it publicly.

However, with results deteriorating and tensions becoming increasingly visible, the timing is likely to fuel further questions about the relationship between United's captain, manager and leadership.

Image source, Getty Images