Michael Carrick is set to take charge of Manchester United when they host Bournemouth on Sunday, as the club look to pick up their first win in eight matches in all competitions.

Man United have only won twice this season, in games they were expected to get three points from at home to newly-promoted Ipswich Town and Sabah in the Champions League.

Aside from those comfortable victories, the Red Devils have been nowhere near the performances they produced last season when Carrick was in interim charge, as they secured a third-place finish in the Premier League with ease.

They look vulnerable defensively, as shown in the 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League in midweek, while they also conceded three times at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in the EFL Cup, and twice each against Hull City, Everton and Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

United are also struggling to find any sort of fluidity in attack either, not helped by the absence of Benjamin Sesko for much of the season, which has seen Carrick trial the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and even Bruno Fernandes in the striker role.

Those experiments haven't really paid off, while he is also yet to find his best midfield lineup following the summer additions of Youri Tielemans, Carlos Baleba and Andrey Santos.

The poor run of form has unsurprisingly led to question marks over Carrick's future, and while United chiefs are ready to give him more time to turn things around, they are also looking at potential successors should they be forced to sack the 45-year-old.

Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann have their admirers on the Red Devils' board, as does Brighton and Hove Albion's Fabian Hurzeler, but the German has no intention of leaving the Seagulls right now.

Antonio Conte and Kieran McKenna are among the other names linked with the role if it becomes available, but nobody is talking about Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone.

Simeone Could Build Something at Old Trafford

If United chiefs want to make a big change, appoint a manager who could be in the dugout for many years and transform the club, then Simeone should be on their list of targets.

Don't get us wrong, prising the Argentine away from Atletico after nearly 15 years in charge might be an almost impossible feat, given Simeone's strong affiliation for the club.

But you do have to wonder at what stage he may feel he needs a fresh challenge, and the chance to test himself in a different league.

The 56-year-old has won La Liga twice with Atletico, while he has been runner-up in the Champions League on two occasions.

Simeone would love to win Europe's elite club competition, but it's going to be no easy task when the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Bayern Munich are around.

But what would he bring to United?

Well firstly, he is known for his disciplined style of play and getting his teams organised, and United certainly look to need help from a defensive point of view right now.

Simeone is known for his tactical flexibility and using different formations in different situations, with his philosophy being built on a solid defensive foundation, coupled with quick and decisive counter-attacks.

The Argentine places emphasis on being compact defensively, before demanding his players work tirelessly to win back possession before breaking quickly.

Roy Keane is a huge fan of Simeone, and in 2025 he said he would love to see Simeone at Old Trafford, causing 'havoc'.

We don't disagree, and he should at least be a target for the United hierarchy given what he has achieved with Atletico across the course of more than 800 matches.