Jamie Redknapp believes Unai Emery and Eddie Howe are the only managers that Manchester United should consider if Michael Carrick is relieved of his duties.

Carrick’s future was plunged into further doubt on Saturday afternoon as his United side were beaten 2-0 away to Chelsea to extend the club’s miserable winless streak to nine matches in all competitions.

Morgan Rogers scythed through United’s defence to open the scoring shortly after half-time and the visitors’ woes were compounded as Lisandro Martinez was sent off for a second bookable offence just past the hour-mark.

Cole Palmer scored with the resulting penalty to double Chelsea’s lead and Xabi Alonso’s men held firm with their man advantage to emerge victorious and move up to fourth in the Premier League table.

The result ensured United remain stranded down in 17th place, meanwhile, with Carrick’s side hovering above the relegation zone only on goal difference after nine matches.

Ahead of United’s latest setback, it was widely reported that Carrick would be given the opportunity to fight for his future and ‘turn things around’ at Old Trafford.

However, with performances failing to improve, speculation over potential replacements continues to intensify, with Antonio Conte, Fabian Hurzeler, Julian Nagelsmann, Howe and Emery among the high-profile names linked.

‘There are only, I think, two runners,’ former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Redknapp said on Sky Sports when addressing possible candidates for the hot seat at the Theatre of Dreams.

‘Listen, Michael Carrick is still in the job so it’s unfair to be saying it.

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‘But if that’s the case, if this doesn’t improve, it’s inevitable that he’s going to lose his job.

‘It can only be him [Emery] really and Eddie Howe.’

According to Redknapp, Aston Villa head coach Emery is the outstanding candidate to take over the reins from Carrick.

However, the ex-England international is unsure if the Spaniard would want to move considering he is currently able to ‘do what he likes’ at Villa Park.

‘Julian Nagelsmann has done pretty well in Germany. I think he started off his career so good… last few years, not quite so good, obviously with Germany at the World Cup,’ Redknapp continued.

‘I can only really see him [Emery]. It depends, does he want to leave Aston Villa? He’s got a project, he can do what he likes there, he’s running the club, whatever he says goes.

‘But he might think, “This is the challenge for me”, and every manager has an ego. Everyone will believe that they can turn Manchester United around, they will genuinely believe that.

‘With his abilities, he would probably be the only one that I would trust to be able to do it.

‘I don’t believe anyone else is just going to go in there with a manager and an assistant and change it. There are so many things behind the scenes that need to change.’

The Red Devils will look to stop the rot when they return to action at home to Roma in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Carrick’s men switch their focus back to Premier League matters in a week’s time against Emery’s Villa.