Unai Emery is reportedly at the top of a six-man INEOS’ shortlist to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United after the Red Devils fell to an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League.

The Serie A side put the visitors to the sword in the Champions League as Nico Paz (two), Anastasios Douvikas and Jacobo Ramón were on target for Cesc Fabregas’ side to condemn Man Utd to their fifth defeat in 11 games across all competitions this season.

Just a week on from Lisandro Martinez taking aim at technical director Jason Wilcox for his work in the transfer window, Bruno Fernandes had a pop at Carrick’s tactics in his post-match press conference.

Fernandes said: “It’s a decision from the staff to not press man to man and sometimes leave space behind and try to get the ball, wait for them, but sometimes when you give space to these teams they get confidence.”

On whether he is saying Michael Carrick got his tactics wrong: “That’s on the manager and staff to see, not me. Sometimes you have to be more brave under pressure, take the risk of pressing high and making them uncomfortable. As you saw with them [Como], the centre-back was coming to mark me in my own half. We need to do that as a team but we were unable to.

“A team that plays through the middle with small connections, if you give them too much time and space then they can hurt you out wide.”

After admitting his side’s performance was “unacceptable” in his post-match interview, Carrick told reporters in his press conference that Fernandes’ comments weren’t accurate, before taking aim at his players for “not running”.

Dressing room unrest could be the final straw for the club legend, and after a report on Thursday morning claimed Eddie Howe was the ‘favourite’ to replace Carrick and is ready to take the job on immediately, The I Paper have revealed that Aston Villa boss Emery actually ‘leads’ INEOS’ shortlist of six managers.

He’s a ‘dream candidate’ and has ‘plenty of admirers among the Old Trafford hierarchy’, who are particularly drawn to him on the basis of him being ‘forced to rip up and rebuild his squad in a summer spent wrangling with financial fair play regulations’.

On Emery’s willingness to leave Villa for Man Utd, the report adds:

‘Whether Emery, who has been at Villa Park since 2022, would entertain a job offer from Manchester United remains to be seen. Sources close to him have suggested he is absolutely committed to Villa, where he enjoys huge power and influence, but there would undoubtedly be interest from the Old Trafford hierarchy in the Spaniard if Carrick leaves.’

The I Paper confirm that Howe is indeed on their shortlist, along with Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler, former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Antonio Conte and ex-Man Utd coach Kieran McKenna, who parted ways with Ipswich in the summer.

The headline claims there are six candidates, and although only five are mentioned in the report, former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is also thought to have his admirers at Man Utd.