The pressure is growing at Old Trafford following their 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como

Eddie Howe is now the firm favourite to replace Michael Carrick in the Manchester United hotseat, should the Old Trafford hierarchy decide to make a change folliowing their 4-1 defeat to Como.

The Red Devils were humiliated in Italy in Wednesday night's Champions League clash against Cesc Fabregas' side, slumping to a 4-0 deficit before Joshua Zirkzee's late consolation.

The result has ramped up the pressure on head coach Carrick, who apologised to supporters following the defeat, with former Newcastle United head coach Howe the clear leader with the bookmakers to take over.

Howe has been out of football since deciding to leave Newcastle in the summer, and has turned down job offers while waiting for the right opportunity to come along.

The pressure intensified on Carrick when key midfielder Bruno Fernandes appeared to lay the blame firmly at the manager's door, insisting the tactics and lack of intensity was down to the coaching staff in another stunning outburst from a Manchester United player, just a week after Lisandro Martinez had hit out at the club's hierarchy.

"It's a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, but sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confidence," said Fernandes after he was taken off at 3-0 down in Como.

When asked specifically about the tactics, he added: "That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable."

Carrick says he is not even considering his own position, but admitted the performance in Italy was 'not acceptable'.

"I've not given my own position any thought - this is for the supporters - I was one of them watching that, and I wasn't happy at all," he said.

"It's not about me right now, and my feelings in that regard. It's more as a team and as a football club, what we want to look like, what we should look like. And as I said, the results can come and go at times, but you've got to do it in a certain way. And that wasn't it.

"I have to apologise to the supporters," he added. "I went over to the end and I care about this football club as much as anyone, if not more, with the position that I'm in and what I value this football club.

"For us to play in that way, it's not acceptable. It wasn't a good performance at all."

Howe is now 2/1 favourite to be the next Manchester United with most bookmakers, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, ex-Chelsea and Tottenham manager Antonio Conte, and former Germany head coach Julan Nagelsmann all priced at 5/1.

Fabregas, who masterminded Wednesday night's win for Como, is listed at 11/1.

Next Manchester United manager odds

• 2/1 Eddie Howe
• 5/1 Fabian Hurzeler, Antonio Conte, Julian Nagelsmann
• 11/1 Cesc Fabregas
• 14/1 Unai Emery, Kieran McKenna, Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate
• 20/1 Darren Fletcher, Carlo Ancelotti
• 25/1 Mauricio Pochettino, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer