Michael Carrick has been given a stay of execution by Manchester United chiefs and while the Red Devils’ decision makers have yet to speak out, their reasoning for the call has become clear

Michael Carrick is set to remain as Manchester United manager. For how long that lasts remains to be seen but in the short-term at least, the former midfielder has been given a stay of execution.

Carrick was under huge pressure after a week that had seen the Red Devils thumped by Como and Bournemouth, while there were also high-profile rants from both Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes which hinted at a dressing room damaged beyond repair.

The writing appeared to be on the wall, with United chiefs Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox heading to Carrington on Monday for crisis talks. But Carrick actually ended up remaining in situ and will be given time to turn the tide, starting with this weekend’s clash against Chelsea.

The United hierarchy will now face the increasingly challenging task of owning the narrative and persuading critics, their decision was made with sound reasoning. Here are the factors that ultimately decided the saga...for now.

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Disagreement on replacement

The first - and arguably most troublesome - issue that United chiefs have been attempting to navigate is the fact that they would have to find a replacement for Carrick. And that’s not a task that is expected to be easy despite there being some favourites to claim the job already.

Former Chelsea and Spurs boss Antonio Conte is thought to be open to dialogue but as it stands, United have yet to make an approach.

Another high-profile option is Julian Nagelsmann, the former Bayern Munich coach now available after his spell with the German national team. He is thought to be favoured by United director of recruitment Christopher Vivell but his opinion is expected to be trumped by that of Jason Wilcox.

Eddie Howe is also among the names mentioned and would have had some serious backing had both Dan Ashworth and Sir Dave Brailsford still been at Old Trafford. As it is, the pair have moved on so Howe might not be among the frontrunners after all.

Compensation packages and Carrick cost

Sticking with Carrick’s potential successor, United also have another headache to navigate and that’s any compensation package they would have to pay out. Should Carrick be sacked, he would be entitled to a severance package given he signed a two-year deal to become the club’s permanent manager in the summer.

It will also represent the third time in as many years that United have prematurely axed their managers, following payouts to Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, who were sacked in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

The payments wouldn't end there either, with the price of acquiring a new man in the dugout likely to be a costly one.

Howe would come at a price due to the terms of his exit from Newcastle and could see United pay out around £6m for his services. Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler also has admirers in Manchester but has already been discounted due to the significant compensation package that the German would command to leave the Amex.

International break on the horizon

Timing is also seemingly a big consideration for United chiefs. The Red Devils have three games to play before the second international break of the season, with this weekend’s clash with Chelsea being the first of those.

Italian giants Roma are then their next Champions League opponents, while a testing showdown with Villa follows that before domestic action comes to a pause.

Should United believe a change is the correct course of action, the international break could be a good time in which to do that. That invariably depends on the results that the club get between now and then but it is certainly something to keep an eye on.

Players still onside

One aspect that also appears to be keeping Carrick in a job is the players themselves. Despite his high-profile falling out with Bruno Fernandes, the pair appear to have cleared the air and the Portuguese midfielder is available for this weekend’s game.

Carrick also made sure to hold talks with both players and staff after it became clear that he would still remain in charge. And he made it clear that he wanted everyone on the same page, with winning games at the top of everyone's agenda.

Meanwhile an unnamed player is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "The feeling is that we all want to put it right. Players, staff, everyone."

So it’s clear that Carrick still has backers in the dressing room, as well as the boardroom. United chiefs and players will be keeping their fingers crossed that was the right decision.