Manchester United have some huge managerial decisions to make with Jamie Carragher selecting his favourite candidate should Michael Carrick be sacked

Jamie Carragher wants to see Unai Emery as Manchester United's next manager if Michael Carrick is sacked. The latter has overseen just two victories this season with defeats to Como and Bournemouth by a three-goal margin last week putting him under intense pressure.

Emery is one of many names that has been linked with taking over at Old Trafford if Carrick departs. Brighton's Fabian Hurzeler is the other manager in employment that has been touted with Julian Nagelsmann, Eddie Howe and Antonio Conte as the out-of-work candidates of interest.

However, it is the Aston Villa boss that Carragher is backing and he has explained exactly why Emery should be interested in making the switch.

He told Sky Sports : "[Emery] is a manager I look at when I think about Manchester United. I think he is the best manager in the Premier League. But I've got this thing with him.

"Yes, his record in the Europa League is amazing, but surely somebody who is that successful wants to be known in the Champions League.

"He wants to win the Champions League. He's not going to do that at Aston Villa. He's had two experiences that haven't gone particularly well for him, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal. And I just think surely he would want that opportunity to prove himself at an absolute giant of a football club. Sorry, Villa fans."

Emery won his fifth Europa League title with Villa last season before watching five key players depart. New arrivals subsequently came in and, despite a difficult opening spell, Villa have gone unbeaten in their last eight matches, winning seven of them.

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Ending Manchester City's perfect 100 per cent winning record in the Premier League was the most recent of those results, with Nicolas Jackson, who came into the club for Ollie Watkins, netting twice.

United's hierarchy are reportedly particularly taken with how Emery rebuilt the Villa squad within a single transfer window despite losing Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Ezri Konsa and Emiliano Martinez.

Bringing in a head coach of that calibre will unsurprisingly not come without a hefty price tag, however, with reports suggesting he is earning between £10m-£12million at Villa Park.

As it stands, Emery making the switch from Villa to United appears unlikely, and there has yet to be any official word on Carrick's future at the club.

Having been eliminated from the Carabao Cup, United have a free week ahead of their clash with Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime. Xabi Alonso's side are also reeling from a significant setback after falling to London rivals Tottenham.

Cole Palmer received his marching orders in that 2-0 defeat but will sit out his ban during their fourth round tie away to Liverpool on Wednesday.