Manchester United will choose Eddie Howe as their new manager if sacking Michael Carrick, and Newcastle legend, Alan Shearer, has already highlighted a ticking timebomb.

Carrick will be in the dugout for today’s visit of Bournemouth, though there’s mounting speculation the Cherries clash will be his last as manager of Man Utd.

Over the past few days, two separate reports – from talkSPORT and the Guardian – claimed Jason Wilcox wants Eddie Howe to succeed Carrick.

Wilcox is United’s director of football, and both sources stated the expectation is Sir Jim Ratcliffe will go with Wilcox’s choice, rather than listen to Christopher Vivell.

Vivell is United’s head of recruitment, and he and Wilcox are at loggerheads over who should replace Carrick.

Wilcox wants extensive Premier League experience, hence his decision to go with Howe, and as mentioned, it’s anticipated Ratcliffe will fall on Wilcox’s side.

Now, in quotes carried by our sister site, Football365, Newcastle icon Shearer has given his verdict on what’s going on at Man Utd.

“I hope this isn’t the end for Michael Carrick at Man United, but obviously you’d have to be concerned because of the results,” Shearer said.

“I mean, it can’t be a coincidence. Manchester United keep going through manager after manager after manager, looking for a solution. The club is awful in terms of the way it is.

“I’ve always said whatever’s happening at the top of the club always filters down onto the pitch, and what we’re seeing on the pitch is because of what’s happening all over the rest of the club.

“I know they achieved Champions League football last year and Michael Carrick did a great job, but then yes, Manchester United are a huge football club, but they’re not a huge football team anymore.

“They didn’t get number one and maybe not even number two targets in the summer, so their recruitment’s been a problem for a while now, and they needed more in the summer as well.

“I hope he doesn’t lose his job, but it wouldn’t surprise me because that’s what happens.

“When you look at how many have been in there, it’s just bonkers what keeps happening at that club, and they keep on thinking, ‘well, it’s the manager’s fault or the coach’s fault.’ Well, it isn’t.”

Alan Shearer foresees Eddie Howe issue at Man Utd

Turning his attention to some of the names who’ve been linked, Shearer added: “Is Antonio Conte the answer? I don’t know. My only thing would be this: it’s not the coach’s fault. There are huge issues at the football club. I don’t know how desperate he is for a job.

“I guess looking at who’s been in and how many managers and coaches they’ve hired and fired, I just wonder whether other managers would look at that and think, well, I know how huge you are, but maybe that’s not the right job at the right time.

“Eddie Howe has also been linked, he wants control of things, and in a club that he sees that is his role and his issue. Whether he would get that at Manchester United or not, I don’t know.”

With The Athletic recently confirming Ratcliffe keeps interfering in day-to-day activities, including in the physio room, and Wilcox entrenched as director of football, Howe may well find his powers limited if taking on the task of turning United’s ship around.

As we’ve seen in the past with prior managers who took on the establishment at United, such as Ralf Rangnick and Ruben Amorim, they don’t last very long.