Manchester United have decided to sack Michael Carrick as manager following the chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford. The under-fire boss was given Sunday's draw, and the visit of Roma earlier in the week, saw Man Utd overturn a 2-0 half-time deficit to win in the Champions League, but it hasn't proven enough to keep his job.
Widespread reports overnight claim that a decision has finally been made, with Carrick set to depart and a new manager be appointed, but there remains plenty of questions regarding who the new man could be. Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann were considered early frontrunners, and Antonio Conte is said to be keen, but it is Mauricio Pochettino who is now the favourite to land the job.
Pochettino's USA contract clause explained
Mauricio Pochettino has not been involved in club management since being lured by the USA national team in two years ago to guide them into their home World Cup where they were knocked out at the last-16 stage. And in August, Pochettino signed a new contract which runs beyond the 2030 World Cup.
But, with Man Utd now set to come calling, Pochettino is ready to head back to the Premier League. BBC Sport report that Pochettino is open to the Old Trafford job and Man Utd will have to cough up to appoint him. According to The Athletic, there is a buyout clause in Pochettino's contract worth $10million (£7.44m) which Man Utd can trigger to bring back him to England.
However, the buyout clause does not cover Pochettino's coaching staff, many of who - such as assistant Jesus Perez - has been with him most the majority of his career.
Pochettino the pick to become new Man Utd manager
Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United. According to ESPN, the club's hierarchy increasingly accepts that a change is needed, with Pochettino viewed as the preferred option because of his Premier League experience.
The 54-year-old extended his contract as United States head coach until 2030 in August, but his deal reportedly includes a £7.4m release clause. Pochettino has three times previously interviewed for the Man Utd job.
Pochettino and Conte keen on Man Utd job
Manchester United have explored several options to replace Michael Carrick. BBC Sport report that former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and ex-Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann among those approached in October. Antonio Conte is also understood to be interested in the role, while Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly open to taking charge at Old Trafford.
The former Tottenham manager signed a contract extension as USA head coach in August, although it is believed to include clauses allowing him to leave for certain high-profile jobs. The United States face Haiti in a two-legged Concacaf Nations League play-off on 14 and 18 November.
Next Man United manager odds
As things stand, USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino is the favourite, ahead of current former Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann who has been a free agent since leaving the Germany national team after the World Cup in the summer, and ex-Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.
Antonio Conte, Didier Deschamps, Kieran McKenna and Gareth Southgate are some of the other names in the frame to replace Carrick at Old Trafford before the Liverpool game. Meanwhile, Fabian Hurzeler - who recently distanced himself from the post - has also been tipped by bookmakers to become the next Man Utd manager, along with former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has been out of work since leaving Besiktas last year.
Man Utd 'make Michael Carrick sack decision' after Aston Villa draw
Michael Carrick is expected to be sacked by Manchester United. While the under-pressure manager ended a run of nine games without a win as Man United beat Roma in the Champions League last week and then rescued a point at home to Aston Villa - having twice trailed by two goals - those results will not be enough to keep Carrick in the job.
According to The Athletic, Man Utd intend to relieve Carrick of duties, with work already being undertaken on replacements. It remains to be seen when an official announcement will be made, but the report states that a change is anticipated before the Red Devils face bitter rivals Liverpool in the Premier League on November 22 at Anfield.
Conte warning
William Gallas has provided Manchester United's decision-makers with a warning if they are considering replacing Michael Carrick with Antonio Conte. Speaking on behalf of SeatPick - the leading platform for Arsenal tickets - Gallas said: "I don't know if Antonio Conte can fix Manchester United because from what I understand now the players in that dressing room are completely different from the players 10, 15 or 20 years ago."
"If you bring in Antonio Conte, you know he has a big personality. You know he will ask his players to adapt to his system, but I don't know if the players at Manchester United can do this. It's a different generation. Now you have to adapt to the players at this club, not just the players adapting to you. It has to be a compromise. Before, it used to be that the players had to adapt to the manager. Nobody said anything. They had great results. Now life has changed."
"A manager like Conte would have to understand that 'OK I have to adapt to this new generation, and if I do that, at the same time, I will need them to adapt to what I want from them,' and that's why you have to be sure about what you are going into. Manchester United also have to be sure about the manager they are bringing in because the message has to make sense and be understood by the players in the dressing room. Otherwise it will be the same problem again and again."
"Ultimately, the problem with United is the players that they've brought to the club because they aren't at the level to play for Manchester United. With all the respect I have for other clubs, Manchester United are not Coventry City. They are not Crystal Palace. We are talking about Manchester United. They should only be signing the best players to play for the club but time and time again they have made big mistakes. Antonio Conte cannot change that. No manager can. You have to look higher up at the club first."
United head into the November international break sitting inside the bottom three amid genuine fears over a potential relegation battle this season, having won just one of their first 10 matches - at home to newly-promoted Ipswich back in August - and collected only eight points with a tough trip to Liverpool to come next.
