Man Utd Morning Round-Up, Friday 23rd October 2026: Carrick's Future Hangs by a Thread as United Weigh Up Replacements
Michael Carrick's position at Old Trafford remains under intense scrutiny this morning following the Champions League humbling at the hands of Como, with sack speculation continuing to dominate the agenda (Manchester Evening News). The Manchester Evening News notes that finding a replacement for Carrick would actually present United with a major headache given the current state of the squad and club (Manchester Evening News), while BBC Sport's Phil McNulty asks whether United have simply become an unmanageable club, pointing to the difficult cycle every manager has faced since Sir Alex Ferguson departed (BBC Sport). Como's heavy win over United has also drawn praise for the Italian side elsewhere (BBC Sport).
On the dressing-room fallout, Wayne Rooney has reportedly sided against his former club's players in a row over comments made by Bruno Fernandes, branding the reaction 'selfish' as blame is passed around following the Carrick pressure (Manchester Evening News).
Should United move on from Carrick, a host of names are being touted as possible successors. BBC Sport's Friday gossip column claims a United chief is keen on Eddie Howe, with Antonio Conte, Unai Emery and Julian Nagelsmann also credited with interest (BBC Sport). The Manchester Evening News adds that Howe has reportedly decided his stance on the job after being tipped as the 'standout' candidate (Manchester Evening News), while further reports suggest Julian Nagelsmann has given a green light to the idea while Fabian Hurzeler has taken his own stance on the situation (Manchester Evening News).
Looking ahead, Carrick's side are due to face AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday, with the manager fighting to turn things around before then (Manchester Evening News).
This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.