Manchester United chiefs have decided to give manager Michael Carrick a stay of execution and time to turn things around, with the 45-year-old set to lead the club against Chelsea this weekend, as GIVEMESPORT revealed.

It was an unexpected turn of events, with many expecting the Man United boss to be sacked following Sunday's 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, which made it eight games without a win for the Red Devils, and left them 16th in the Premier League table.

Club chiefs held crisis talks on Monday to decide their next course of action which, as it stands, is to give Carrick another opportunity to get things back on track.

Of course, a bad result against Xabi Alonso's men at Stamford Bridge on Saturday will pile the pressure on the former Middlesbrough boss again, and it would be difficult to see how he could possibly stay if they lost again.

United obviously need to decide if any of the managers available to them on the market are the right person for the job, which they have clearly been considering in recent days following successive defeats by a three-goal margin.

Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are considered to be two of the frontrunners if a change is made, according to GMS sources, with both managers having their admirers among the United hierarchy.

There are others who are appreciated too, including Aston Villa's Unai Emery and Brighton and Hove Albion's Fabian Hurzeler, but the compensation due for both managers would be high, and the suggestion is that neither would be keen to make the switch to Old Trafford now.

One manager who does have his admirers and is keen to take the job, GMS understands, is another unemployed manager in Antonio Conte.

Conte a Better Appointment Than Howe

Conte left his job as Napoli boss in the summer after two seasons, having won the Scudetto in his first campaign in charge of the Serie A giants.

It is a familiar theme for the Italian, who has shown he is a proven winner on many occasions, winning league titles with Napoli, Juventus, Inter Milan and Chelsea during his managerial career.

It's no surprise that some people like Paul Scholes are backing him for the job and believe he's the best candidate by far on paper, but it's also understandable why others have their reservations over the 57-year-old.

The Italian is known for his volatility, as we saw during his time in charge of Tottenham, where he wasn't afraid to call out his players and the club hierarchy.

That is something that United chiefs may not want to risk given they are already getting flak for the current situation, as well as the bad press they are receiving following public outbursts from Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes who have criticised individuals at the club.

Playing devil's advocate, it could also be said that Conte could be the manager to get the dressing room in order by telling them a few home truths, as we know he isn't afraid to do.

United legend Sir Alex Ferguson is certainly a fan of the Italian, saying in 2017:

[He's] Fantastic, you see his energy on the pitch. There's a true saying that the team mirrors the manager, and that's what they've done with him.

"His team have stayed top of the league for so long. They lost to Arsenal and Liverpool early on, but since then they've been up."

Some have suggested that the appointment of Howe would be uninspiring and, while that is harsh, perhaps it is time for United to have a manager who isn't afraid to speak his mind and be authoritative with his players, and it feels like Conte would be more likely to do that.

Howe certainly can't live up to Conte's record when it comes to winning trophies, and ultimately that's what United's main aim is.

United chiefs may want to make a long-term appointment if they do decide to sack Carrick in the coming weeks, but fans want to see success now and in those terms, hiring Conte could be a no-brainer.