Coaching candidates for Manchester United believe that the dressing room needs to be reined in following the public outbursts of Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes.

The Red Devils have reached their annual crisis point, with head coach Michael Carrick scrambling to save his job. Man Utd suffered a humbling 4-1 defeat away at Como in the Champions League on Wednesday to extend their winless run to seven games.

On Sunday, they take on a resurgent Bournemouth side that has won three matches on the bounce, albeit two of them have come with the help of early red cards. Prior to last weekend's defeat of 10-man Sunderland, the Cherries had been winless in the Premier League.

It is not the worst game for Carrick to save his job, although it increasingly seems like a win would only delay the inevitable. His players are seemingly already undermining his position and have lost faith in the coach.

Captain Fernandes openly questioned Carrick's tactics after the Como defeat, which followed Martinez's rant the previous week, in which he appeared to give the manager a backhanded compliment rather than outright defending him.

Man Utd dressing room "out of control"

With Carrick likely facing the sack after overseeing Man Utd's worst start to a season in 40 years, the names of numerous potential replacements are swirling in the media right now. Former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is believed to be the current favourite for the job.

Julian Nagelsmann, also currently unattached, is another strong contender, while Antonio Conte just released an official statement dismissing reports of being in contact with Man Utd. Fabian Hurzeler is admired, but he has no intention of leaving high-flying Brighton mid-season.

The Telegraph now claims that there is a consensus among potential Carrick replacements that Man Utd's dressing room is "out of control" and "needs bringing into line." Sounds a lot like Groundhog Day - isn't this what Erik ten Hag was supposed to do in 2022?

One source told the outlet: "It’s clear they need order and discipline. The dressing room is out of control, and that is the first thing to fix," while another added: "The players talk too much."

Regarding potential Carrick replacements, the report notes that Howe would listen to an approach from Man Utd but stresses that he would need a lot of convincing to return to management so soon after leaving Newcastle in the summer.

The fact that he would be in the frame for the England job should Thomas Tuchel leave adds another layer of complexity. That said, it seems doubtful that there will be a change in the Three Lions dugout anytime soon.

As for Nagelsmann, Sky Germany reported on Thursday evening that a move to the Premier League appeals to the former Bayern manager. He is also a candidate for RB Leipzig in case they dismiss Martin Demichelis.

Leipzig shouldn't be able to compete with Man Utd if push comes to shove, but Nagelsmann's emotional connection with the club is worth noting. Given how things panned out for him at Bayern, there is a sense a lingering sense of regret about his departure from the Red Bull club.

Nagelsmann feels that he perhaps jumped ship too soon and that, had he stayed, he could have turned the club into legitimate Bundesliga challengers. A return can't be ruled out because of this sense of unfinished business.

The Telegraph adds that Nagelsmann would want assurances about Man Utd's leadership structure and the power he would wield at the club. He previously rejected Chelsea and Tottenham because he didn't believe the way those clubs were run was conducive to success.

Carrick: We've lost our way

Carrick will get the Bournemouth game on Sunday, but what happens after that is anyone's guess. He knows that he is on borrowed time and that only a radical change in the club's fortunes can save his job.

Speaking to the media on Friday, Carrick said: "I think recently we haven't had a good time. I totally accept that, and what we are going through at the moment. We had five months of relative success in a spell where I was happy with a lot of things I was seeing, and we were doing as a team. We haven't done well enough lately.

"That's pretty obvious to see. We've had a spell we are really not happy with. Wednesday was a bad night for a lot of reasons. It hurt a lot. It hurt me in a lot of ways to see how the game panned out. It was really unacceptable to play like that, and be like that."

He then suggested that Man Utd have lost their way. "The foundation of this football club and its values have been put down for many, many years," Carrick explained.

"I totally understand, and I get every single one of them. It comes down to humility, hard work and being really proud to live up to those values. There is a resilience about this football club.

"Manchester United is always bigger, and always will be, than any single individual. It's bigger than me or any of the players. And it always will be. We are in a moment where it is not going well, and we need to show exactly what it means to be here.

"I am not entitled to be here. Entitlement can not be at this football club. I am not entitled to win. I am fully aware that it takes hard work and sacrifice to be here. We have kind of lost our way, but I am convinced we'll get it back."