Manchester United's Managerial Crisis: Pochettino on Three-Man Shortlist as Pressure Mounts on Carrick

What happened

Manchester United have endured a dismal start to their Premier League season, collecting just eight points from their first ten matches and sitting in the relegation zone, according to a Football365 report. The outlet detailed a run that included a defeat to Hull, a victory over Ipswich Town, a dispiriting draw with Everton, an even more dispiriting loss to Manchester City, and what it described as a "pathetic" draw at Fulham. That was followed by a predictable draw in what the report called "El Sackico," another draw at Leeds United, and then a hefty defeat to Bournemouth. United also surrendered a 2-0 lead against Brighton to exit the Carabao Cup, and lost to Atletico Madrid and Como in the Champions League.

Report details

Michael Carrick was granted a stay of execution but, in the report's phrasing, still appears to be on borrowed time. That assessment came despite a comeback win over Roma in the Champions League and a hectic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa. With pressure mounting, Football365 examined the bookmakers' favourites to take over, and reported that Mauricio Pochettino, the current USMNT boss, saw his odds slashed dramatically after the Aston Villa game, dropping from 33s to odds-on in some places. The report stated that Pochettino would be interested in the job and is seemingly on a three-man shortlist, though it did not name the other two members of that shortlist.

Eddie Howe, the ex-Newcastle boss, was listed as the second favourite. The report described him as fitting INEOS's preferred profile, with a proven record of getting the best out of players while being inoffensive enough to rarely rock the boat. Howe was said to be predictably keen, though the outlet expressed reservations about his suitability for what it called an increasingly impossible job. Julian Nagelsmann, the ex-Germany coach who was fired after underachieving at the World Cup, was third; the report noted there was more to that dismissal than poor coaching, that he was always looking to return to club football, and that he is the choice of Christopher Vivell, though the final decision is unlikely to rest with him.

Antonio Conte was fourth, described as the ruthless winner option who has already made noises about interest in the job should it become available. The report characterised him as the opposite of Howe in that he would rock the boat, and suggested he is too messy and abrasive for United, while acknowledging it would be entertaining and probably what some cosy players need. Sir Gareth Southgate was fifth, with the report suggesting he probably will not return to management and is enjoying the corporate lifestyle. Unai Emery was joint sixth; the report said United would probably choose him if they had their pick of any Premier League manager given his phenomenal work at Villa, but that he would be expensive to prise away and United tend to stop when they meet resistance in recruitment. Didier Deschamps shared sixth, described as probably the best available manager who is not Pep Guardiola.

Kieran McKenna was eighth, his standing based purely on having worked at Old Trafford as a coach under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the report calling him a very INEOS appointment, one so grateful for the opportunity that he would not dare rock the boat. Fabian Hurzeler and Sebastian Hoeness were joint ninth; the report said United like the Brighton boss but he would be a very expensive hire and there are persistent doubts about whether what works at Brighton would work at a bigger club, while Hoeness, currently manager of Stuttgart, would also be an expensive hire. The report's framing throughout was speculative and based on bookmakers' odds rather than any official confirmation from the club.