Manchester United’s possible managerial replacements for Michael Carrick have been compared by their records against the club, with Brighton and Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler emerging as the most successful of the six candidates. According to FootballTransfers on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, Mauricio Pochettino, Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte, Unai Emery and Hurzeler are among the coaches being linked with the Old Trafford position as questions surround Carrick’s future.

United are reportedly weighing up the dismissal of Carrick after a disappointing sequence of results left them 18th in the Premier League standings. Should he depart, the club would begin the process of appointing their eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in May 2013. The search is attracting attention, with several experienced names being discussed.

Pochettino, who currently manages the United States national team, is understood to be one of the leading contenders. The Argentine has faced United on 16 occasions, recording five wins, three draws and eight defeats. A memorable success came in August 2018, when Tottenham Hotspur produced a convincing 3-0 victory at Old Trafford.

Howe is another candidate whose name has been connected with the vacancy following his departure from Newcastle United. The 48-year-old has come up against United 21 times, winning eight matches, drawing three and losing 10. Among his notable results was Newcastle’s 3-0 triumph at Old Trafford in November 2023, when his team eliminated United from the Carabao Cup.

Nagelsmann has a more limited history against the Premier League side but has won half of his two meetings with them. His standout result came in December 2020, when he guided RB Leipzig to a 3-2 Champions League victory over United. That defeat sent the English club out of the competition and remains the most significant encounter between the German coach and the Red Devils.

Conte’s record is evenly balanced, with four victories and four defeats across eight matches against United. The Italian also enjoyed a major success against them while in charge of Chelsea, leading the London club to a 1-0 win in the 2018 FA Cup final.

Emery has found United a tougher opponent. Across 19 meetings, the Spaniard has recorded five wins, four draws and 10 losses. However, he also has a significant achievement against the club: his Villarreal side defeated United on penalties in the 2021 Europa League final after the contest finished level.

Hurzeler stands above the other five managers based on the figures in the report. The Brighton coach has won four of his six meetings with United and has claimed victory on three of his four visits to Old Trafford. His record includes Brighton’s 3-2 comeback win over United in the Carabao Cup in September.

Those results give Hurzeler the strongest head-to-head record among the candidates. Nevertheless, the statistics alone do not establish who United will appoint. With Carrick’s position still uncertain, the club’s decision-makers must carefully weigh the candidates’ broader credentials as well as their previous performances against United before settling on their next manager.