Michael Carrick's position as Manchester United head coach remains uncertain after a dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, with reports indicating three potential replacement candidates have already turned down the club.
United sit 17th in the Premier League table with eight points from their opening 10 matches, having won fewer games than any other club. Five draws have kept them above Crystal Palace and Sunderland, with the latest coming at Old Trafford where United twice came from two goals down, Patrick Dorgu scoring their fourth in the 96th minute.
The point was not enough to lift them out of the relegation zone, where they will remain until at least their next outing away at Liverpool on 22nd November.
Carrick's future under review
Many had expected Carrick to be dismissed following last month's 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth. His side have since lost to Chelsea, come from behind to beat Roma, and drawn with Villa. For now, he retains his position.
Reports indicate his future is being reviewed in a meeting today, with further discussions expected among senior figures at the club during the international break. Those talks began after the Bournemouth match and have resumed after United delayed their decision until after the Villa game, with that deadline now passed.
Should Carrick be removed, United will need a successor ready and waiting, but the club are yet to settle on a primary target while three coaches favoured by the hierarchy have already rejected the role.
Unai Emery set to stay at Villa
It was Unai Emery's Villa who nearly delivered what might have proved a fatal blow to Carrick's reign on Sunday. Reports had indicated the Spaniard was the preferred candidate to replace the Englishman.
Emery has proved transformative at Villa Park, steering them to Europa League triumph last season. United were believed to be weighing up an approach for him if Carrick were to be removed, though he is now poised to commit his future to Villa with a new contract.
Chants of "10 more years, 10 more years, Unai Emery" rang out from the away section on Sunday, with the 55-year-old currently engaged in discussions with his present employers to prolong his tenure beyond 2029, when his existing agreement expires.
Pursuing Emery would have presented United with considerable challenges even before the contract negotiations, as Villa would have demanded substantial compensation given that the Spaniard remains under contract on wages of £12 million annually. He also likes to have a lot of control of transfers and key decisions, meaning he might not have been a good fit for United's structure.
Deschamps and Hurzeler decline
France legend Didier Deschamps has lifted the World Cup both as a player and a manager, and following his departure from Les Bleus after this summer's tournament, he remains available. United are claimed to have approached his representatives to sound him out about a potential move to Old Trafford.
The response came swiftly and decisively. Deschamps turned down the opportunity to take on what has become a poisoned chalice, pointing to a desire to extend his sabbatical from club management, having last overseen Marseille in 2012, alongside the widespread disarray at United. The 58-year-old former France manager also harbours ambitions regarding the Real Madrid position should Jose Mourinho falter.
Should United cast their eyes towards the summit of the Premier League table, they will find Brighton & Hove Albion occupying a surprising yet thoroughly merited second spot. The Seagulls have soared under Fabian Hurzeler this campaign and, naturally, in October, when Carrick appeared vulnerable, the German was touted for the United role.
A United board member reportedly 'can't stop talking' about him and proposed his name as a frontrunner to assume control should Carrick be sacked. Nevertheless, he categorically dismissed any suggestion that he might be tempted to depart the Amex Stadium, remaining dedicated to the project he has spearheaded so impressively. Furthermore, his Brighton contract contains no release clause.
"I'm fully focused on my job here," Hurzeler stated last month when asked about United. "I've got no time to think about these rumours because we play every three days.
"I'm really privileged to be here. I'm part of a journey, and I still have this feeling when I go to bed that we are not finished with our journey. I always emphasise that I'm not 100 per cent satisfied and happy with where we are; there are still improvements to make.
"It's a people business. Making a people business out of this pressure business is something I don't take for granted and something I won't throw away that fast."
The German manager also expressed solidarity with Carrick, stating: "I have a lot of respect for Michael Carrick and the job he has done at Manchester United the last season. He's a great human being, a great personality, and I really respect him. There's nothing more to say about that."
