Manchester United are facing growing uncertainty over Michael Carrick's future, with Eddie Howe emerging as a leading contender to replace him in the dugout.

Red Devils technical director Jason Wilcox is now said to favour the former Newcastle United boss, potentially placing him ahead of former Germany and Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann in the race for the Old Trafford job.

Carrick is expected to remain in charge against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday, but another damaging result could intensify the pressure on the United manager.

Eddie Howe emerges as the frontrunner to replace Michael Carrick

Wilcox is leaning towards appointing Howe if the club decide to sack Carrick, according to talkSPORT.

The United chief reportedly prefers the 48-year-old because of his vast Premier League experience, although he previously opposed the idea when former sporting director Dan Ashworth recommended Howe before Ruben Amorim's appointment.

Nagelsmann remains a leading alternative, with United said to have already sounded out the German about his interest in the vacancy. Head of recruitment Christopher Vivell is understood to favour the German, but Wilcox's opinion could carry greater weight with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery also fits Wilcox's criteria, although persuading Villa to release him could prove expensive. Fabian Hurzeler is admired by the United hierarchy, but has already made it clear that he would be unwilling to leave Brighton & Hove Albion.

Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte has also put himself forward for the position, but his fiery personality is believed to count against him after United previously overlooked the Italian.

Howe, meanwhile, has been out of work since leaving the Magpies by mutual consent during the summer. He guided them to EFL Cup glory in 2025 and Champions League qualification on two occasions, although his final season ended with a 12th-place Premier League finish.

Will Michael Carrick be sacked if Man Utd lose to Bournemouth?

All indications are that Carrick will remain in the dugout for Sunday's meeting with Bournemouth, but that hardly guarantees his position beyond the weekend.

United's 4-1 defeat to Como on Wednesday extended their winless run to seven matches in all competitions, their worst run of form in 11 years.

The result was compounded by captain Bruno Fernandes publicly questioning Carrick's methods, while reports suggest the club have no plans to punish their captain for his outburst. That could be an ominous sign for the under-fire manager. United's hierarchy are reportedly concerned that Carrick is losing the dressing room, having overseen a disastrous start to the campaign.

A home game against Bournemouth, who have just recorded the scalp of AC Milan, therefore feels pivotal. Another defeat would leave United's leadership facing increasingly difficult questions about whether Carrick can truly turn things around.

Howe's emergence as Wilcox's preferred successor suggests contingency planning is already taking place behind the scenes. Carrick may get Sunday's game to respond, but if United suffer another damaging setback, the pressure for a change could become difficult to resist at Old Trafford.