Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox has been trusted to pick the next manager of the club, with his choice preferred over Christopher Vivell’s and with a strong report revealing when Michael Carrick can now expect the sack at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are close to full-on panic mode. A dismal start to the season has left the club 17th in the Premier League, winless in nine games across all competitions and lacking any sort of cohesion from top to bottom.

With several leading players talking to the media, Manchester United have a lot to get right on and off the field before they can safely say the club is on an even keel, let alone challenge for the game’s top trophies.

As with all things like this, the buck very often stops with the manager and, while Carrick still retains enormous love and respect from the club’s fanbase – this report revealing the five major reasons why the fans have kept him in the job – it now seems a question of when, not if, the axe will fall.

Reports over the last few days have since focused on who is to come in next, with Vivell’s choice of Julian Nagelsmann and Wilcox’s pick, Eddie Howe, the two main names in the frame.

However, as TEAMtalk revealed on October 22, the final verdict will ultimately rest on Wilcox, with the DoF ultimately responsible for all big decisions and the day-to-day running of football matters.

And in a follow-on to that, The Guardian now reports that Howe has emerged as the club’s ‘preferred candidate’ to take charge if they decide to remove Carrick, with the former Newcastle United boss ‘open’ to taking the job after exiting St James’ Park after five years in charge over the summer.

It’s claimed that, should they appoint the 48-year-old, the Red Devils will be obliged to pay Newcastle £3m in compensation as part of the severance terms of the Englishman’s exit at St James’ Park.

And the move for Howe has been decided after a major stumbling block emerged in United’s pursuit of Unai Emery and amid claims that a new deadline has now been set on Carrick to try and save himself from the sack…

Man Utd set Carrick sack deadline

Per The Guardian, Wilcox and co will regretfully wield the axe on Carrick if they do not produce positive results in their next two games, starting with Manchester United’s Champions League date at home to Roma on Tuesday evening and then, on Sunday, when they, ironically, host Emery’s Aston Villa.

They claim both Wilcox and CEO Omar Berrada met on Monday to discuss what to do about the situation and concluded that the upcoming international break would be the ideal time to make a change if deemed unavoidable.

That stance is also echoed by Fabrizio Romano, who revealed on Monday that Carrick can expect to remain in charge until now at least, but with the chances of the axe growing ahead of the upcoming international break if all does not go to plan.

“Michael Carrick is expected to be in charge against Roma,” Romano insisted.

“Manchester United intends to trust Michael Carrick for these games. Obviously, let’s see how things go against Roma, but the general intention is to trust Carrick for the upcoming matches.

“Then the international break is coming. So, obviously, there will be a longer period of time during which they can assess the situation and make a final decision regarding the managerial position.”

Romano has also revealed that INEOS are confident Carrick can save himself, with a “crazy” turn of events needed for him to lose his job before the international break.

Romano added: “At the moment, the feeling at Man Utd is that Michael Carrick has very good chances of surviving this crisis and remaining in charge for the upcoming games.

“Then, the period around the international break is going to be important. They will assess all the options and possibilities, involving the owners, the directors and everyone at the club, before making a decision about the future of Man Utd.”

Should Howe take charge, it’s already been claimed that the new boss would immediately seek a £300m kitty to upgrade three of the club’s recent signings.

One of Howe’s first jobs could also be to root out their deadwood, and former Liverpool star Steven Gerrard has this week named the EIGHT United players he claims are not good enough to play for the club.