Manchester United are preparing to begin their search for a new permanent manager after the Michael Carrick experiment failed, with a poor start to the 2026/27 season leaving the club at serious risk of relegation.
After 10 league games, United sit 18th with just one win to their name. Last season's third-place finish flattered the team given the strength of the squad, but they are still better than their current position suggests.
The club faces the challenge of appointing someone who can stave off the immediate threat of the drop while also delivering bigger and better things. A simple firefighter will not do, but a title-winner without those firefighting qualities may not be the right choice either.
Leading Candidates Assessed
Eddie Howe has once again been linked with the post, having been a favoured candidate of former sporting director Dan Ashworth, while out-of-work bosses Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann are also thought to be in the mix. Mauricio Pochettino is also a contender, having previously been linked after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking in 2021.
Pochettino has held down three Premier League jobs and did not make any of those teams worse. His Southampton spell began with a relegation battle, Spurs brought a pair of title challenges and Chelsea saw him contend with a tricky ownership structure. He has never quite reached the Spurs heights away from north London.
Howe has plenty of Premier League experience, though he has a relegation with Bournemouth on his CV from a Covid-affected season. He gets credit for ending Newcastle's long trophy drought, but his final season at St James' Park was a challenging one.
Style, Transfers and Media Skills
Conte is the only one of the four with a Premier League title under his belt, though this came a decade ago. Both at Chelsea and Tottenham, significant achievements were followed by swift downturns in form which accelerated his exit, but he can also point to success stories at clubs in Italy.
Nagelsmann is another with a title under his belt, though Bayern Munich sacked him during his second season with the club at risk of falling short in the Bundesliga. The youngest of the bunch at 39, he has less managerial experience and none in the Premier League.
Pochettino has made the most of exciting attacking talents in years gone by, be that Harry Kane and Son Heung-min at Tottenham or Cole Palmer at Chelsea. Howe produced plenty of exciting moments with his Bournemouth and Newcastle teams, with a return of 85 league goals with the Magpies in 2023/24 standing out, though things were tougher after Alexander Isak's departure.
Conte's first season at Chelsea was in huge contrast to his second, with N'Golo Kante and Marcos Alonso playing a big part in the title charge whereas Tiemoue Bakayoko and Danny Drinkwater were busts. More recently, he made some inspired calls, not least Scott McTominay's move to Napoli.
Nagelsmann has picked out plenty of diamonds, most notably being in the dugout when Hoffenheim completed a permanent move for Andrej Kramaric, who has gone on to become their all-time top scorer. Other big signings under his watch included Dominik Szoboszlai and Josko Gvardiol at RB Leipzig.
Overall Verdict
Pochettino's overall rating is B+, with Howe and Conte both B and Nagelsmann B-. Ultimately, it will come down to what United feel is the most important priority. If they are after someone with a track record of quick results before burning out then Conte is the man, while if getting the media on side is the key then Howe is their man.
Nagelsmann could have the highest long-term upside but could also crash and burn, given his recent record and lack of Premier League experience. While Pochettino is by no means a sure bet, he appears to tick the most boxes.
The international break gives United a window to get the right man in and give them a bit of time to figure out what is needed right now and what needs to be the priority in their first transfer window. They will feel they really cannot afford to get it wrong.
