Manchester United's managerial situation is under intense scrutiny following a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, leaving the club without a win in eight games

Michael Carrick is under mounting pressure at Manchester United amid reports he could be set for the sack. United's 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth at the weekend extended their winless run to eight matches, casting further doubt over his future at Old Trafford.

INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe now face another major decision over the club's managerial direction. Several candidates have already been linked with the role as uncertainty surrounding Carrick's position grows.

Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte are among the names being discussed as potential appointments to the role. MEN Sport examines the latest reports on the club's options, with one contender emerging as a leading candidate.

Make sure you never miss the latest Manchester United news and opinion by making Manchester Evening News one of your Google preferred sources.

Ratcliffe leaning towards Howe

INEOS chief Ratcliffe is reportedly throwing his weight behind Eddie Howe as his preferred choice to take charge, should Carrick depart. This comes despite Howe's intention to "take a break" from football following his departure from Newcastle over the summer.

The i Paper has revealed United's part-owner is keen to see an English manager at the helm at Old Trafford. This is supported by Ratcliffe's previous efforts to appoint former England boss Gareth Southgate to the position.

It is claimed that there is currently a split among United's board members over who should be appointed next. Director of football Jason Wilcox is reportedly keen on Howe, while head of recruitment Christopher Vivell is said to be eager to reunite with former Germany and Bayern Munich manager Nagelsmann.

It appears Ratcliffe is inclined to support Wilcox's preference. However, there are also concerns among supporters about Wilcox's long-term future following Lisandro Martinez's recent outburst criticising the director for inadequate recruitment during the summer.

Howe's availability as a free agent makes him an appealing option given he would arrive at minimal expense. His accomplishments at Newcastle are self-evident, notably delivering the club's first major trophy in 70 years, though questions remain over whether he would enjoy the same financial backing for his project as he did in the north-east.

Howe to hold firm over coaching appointments

One potential condition for Howe accepting a role at Old Trafford would be the manager bringing his own coaching staff with him. Howe has consistently shown unwavering loyalty to those within his trusted circle and has previously rejected opportunities over this very matter.

Howe, 48, was formerly linked with the Celtic position in 2021 when he demanded the right to appoint his own coaching team. Ultimately, Celtic's unwillingness to accommodate this resulted in the proposed appointment falling through.

"I felt that if I was to come into a pressured job like [Celtic], I needed to go in with a sense of stability," he told The Athletic in 2022.

"I could have recruited new staff, but then you're working each other out and there's a transition process where it probably takes three, four, five months. That's five months too late. I needed my staff with me and we couldn't get them together."

Howe's former Newcastle assistant, Jason Tindall, has earned a reputation for his animated presence on Premier League touchlines. Tindall had previously served alongside Howe at Bournemouth before their reunion at St. James' Park five years ago.

Other established members of Howe's Newcastle backroom team include Graeme Jones, Stephen Purches and Simon Weatherstone.