The predicament at Manchester United is viewed by the club as not being entirely Michael Carrick's fault.

Senior figures feel Manchester United's players - a squad they think are capable of qualifying for the Champions League - are underperforming badly and should shoulder some of the blame.

There does seem to be a general desire to help Carrick out. One player told BBC Sport: "The feeling is that we all want to put it right. Players, staff, everyone."

It is not known if the "we" includes Fernandes, and BBC Sport has not been made aware of what, if any, conversations have taken place between the captain and his boss.

Obviously, it is easier to get rid of one manager and his backroom team than an entire squad of players - and if results do not turn around, Carrick will pay the price.

One former senior United official told BBC Sport: "Ordinarily, Michael would have gone. The last two performances were unacceptable and team discipline is broken. Not doing it is fascinating and risky."

Cynics may argue the main reason Carrick is still in a job is because of the inability to secure a replacement before the Chelsea game.

Additionally, some of the coaches that Under-18s boss Darren Fletcher called on to help him during his spell as interim manager in January are now part of the senior set-up.

As highlighted by BBC Sport on Monday, Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann were among the options explored by United as they weighed up whether to make a change.

Any decision to appoint Howe would trigger a multi-million pound compensation payment to his former club Newcastle.

Some observers think compensation payments may be a factor in United's reluctance to make a change, given the sums that have previously gone on hiring and firing coaches.

BBC Sport has also been told former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is willing to have a conversation about the job, although there has been no direct contact.

That trio are all out of work - as is Kieran McKenna, who worked with Carrick as part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's coaching team at United and then left for Ipswich.