Michael Carrick looking worried on the touchline.

Michael Carrick is under major pressure at Man United.Imago

Ex-West Brom captain an outside contender to replace Michael Carrick at Man United

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Published on:

22 Oct 2026, 4:16 pm

Michael Carrick has lived to fight another day at Manchester United despite their humiliating Champions League defeat to Como on Wednesday night.

After seven Premier League games, the Red Devils have just one win to their name and sit 13th in the standings, while in Europe, things are going worse.

United lost 4-1 away to Champions League debutants Como, plunging them down to 20th in the overall league table.

So far this season, Carrick has led Man United to wins against newly-promoted Ipswich Town, Azerbaijani minnows Sabah and no one else.

Understandably, the walls are starting to close in on Carrick, but reports on Thursday say that Man United are not going to be sacking him before they face Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday.

But if they do - and they most likely will eventually this season - it seems that a former West Brom favourite has an outstand chance of landing the job.

Ex-West Brom midfielder Darren Fletcher an outside bet

As it stands, the bookmakers' favourite to take charge at Man United if Carrick is sacked is former Bournemouth and Newcastle manager Eddie Howe

One leading bookmaker has listed odds as low as 6/4 for Howe to be appointed at Old Trafford.

Julian Nagelsmann (2/1), Antonio Conte (3/1) and Fabian Hurzeler (4/1) are also contenders.

However, further down the list of potential candidates is former West Brom captain Darren Fletcher at 20/1.

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Would Fletcher make a good manager for Man United?

Fletcher, 42, played for the Baggies between 2015 and 2017 before retiring two years later after a short stint at Stoke City.

The ex-Scotland international has aspired to have a career in management, and got the chance to be Man United's caretaker boss at the start of 2026 when Ruben Amorim was sacked.

Unfortunately, his audition didn't go well.

In his first game, he oversaw a 2-2 draw with a Burnley side that got relegated

In his second and last game, Man United lost 2-1 to Brighton in the FA Cup.

If Carrick is dismissed, there's every chance that Fletcher will get another chance in an interim capacity.

But to land the full-time job, he'd have to do something seriously impressive as a caretaker boss to make United's chiefs even consider the possibility of him getting a permanent position in the dugout.

Ruben Filipe Marques Amorim