Michael Carrick has suffered a significant beleaguerment and is firmly upon the Manchester United ropes. Talk of his imminent demise and who might replace him understandably dominates the day’s agenda.

But fears that Carrick was such an easy target after that Como defeat that there would be no need for anyone to be weird or unreasonable about it have proved, we’re delighted to confirm, unfounded.

Hair today, gone tomorrow
Fair to say there’s one man in the crosshairs of the football media this morning after Manchester United’s abject Champions League capitulation at Como on Wednesday night.

But while sensible people ruminate on Michael Carrick’s future or lack thereof, we, as is stupidly often the case, have spent a frankly unhelpful amount of our morning deciding whether we think a headline is really good or offensively bad.

THEY THINK IT’S COMO-VER!

The good news for the Daily Mirror is we’ve come down on the side of ‘really good’. Although you just know they must have been desperate to find someone follically challenged who’s involved in it all. If only the former England midfielder whose job were under threat were Frank Lampard rather than Michael Carrick.

You’d think they’d at least try and conjure up some spurious Fabian Hurzeler link or something.

Ghost of Winter
Writes Henry Winter in what is by his standards a brief and pithy tweet:

If Manchester United get rid of Michael Carrick they get rid of the individual who cares most about the Club. Carrick cares for United far more than the Glazers do (obviously), more than Ratcliffe, Wilcox & Berrarda do, more than Bruno Fernandes & the underachieving players #MUFC

Manchester United would also be getting rid of the prospect of a lucrative updated version of Michael Carrick’s autobiography Between the Lines, ghost-written by… Henry Winter.

Tied up in nots
Bold approach from the Daily Express here with their latest on who might replace Carrick after the alarming increase in the rate of his beleaguering last night.

Not Conte, Hurzeler or Howe – Man Utd ‘decide’ on Michael Carrick’s replacement

It’s a lovely bit of curiosity-gapping and no mistake. Cleverly gets the top three contenders in there while teasing the greater significance of a fourth name upon which United have apparently ‘decided’.

Manchester United bosses have reportedly chosen their preferred candidate to replace Michael Carrick, who is perilously close to being sacked after a disastrous start to the campaign.

Have they now? Who has reportedly made such a claim?

A number of big names have already been linked with the potential vacancy at United, including Antonio Conte, Fabian Hurzeler and Eddie Howe.

However, it seems the Red Devils could go down a different route if Carrick is relieved of his duties in the not-too-distant future.

That’s because former Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann has already been sounded out for preliminary discussions, according to talkSPORT.

Off to talkSPORT we go, then, and sure enough there we find this:

Julian Nagelsmann has been sounded out as a potential replacement for Michael Carrick as Manchester United boss, talkSPORT understands.

Fair enough, then. That is indeed a different name that is not Hurzeler, Howe or Conte and let’s not get bogged down in the fact that neither this talkSPORT original nor the Express rehash contain the word ‘decide’ that they used as a quote in the headline there. That’s not important.

What arguably is important are some other minor details from that same original talkSPORT report.

talkSPORT also understands Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is seen as an option by United as he has admirers at the club too.

However, he recently signed a new long-term contract with the Seagulls and the club are unfazed by the speculation linking him to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Premier League title winner Antonio Conte is prepared to take charge of United, having left Napoli in June.

The Italian’s representatives have told Man United they would be keen on the role although the club is yet to express interest in him.

Former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe is understood to be a candidate who could get the job easily as a free agent.

So, more accurately, ‘Maybe Conte, Hurzeler or Howe – Man Utd ‘yet to decide’ on Michael Carrick’s replacement’ then?

Early start
Elsewhere in that talkSPORT report we have this:

With Carrick facing calls for his short-lived reign as permanent boss to be brought to an end, United now appearing to be preparing for life without him too.

Reports suggest that Carrick did not arrive at Carrington at 7.30am as normal.

Hmm, if only there could be any other possible explanation as to why Carrick might not have been at Carrington at 7.30am as normal the morning after a European away game. But there isn’t one, don’t try to think of any.

Training day
Continuing that theme, utter indignation from Mark Ogden at ESPN that United’s players are not being summoned for the football equivalent of the England cricket team’s fabled ‘naughty-boy nets’ after a trademark collapse.

But despite the magnitude of the defeat against Cesc Fàbregas’ side, which led to captain Bruno Fernandes criticising the team’s tactics – Carrick responded by questioning the “running” of his players – sources have said that the players will take their pre-arranged day off today before preparing for Sunday’s Premier League home clash with Bournemouth on Friday.

Well… yeah. They landed after midnight. The understandable decision not to train today ahead of Sunday’s game against Bournemouth for reasons of recovery and recuperation doesn’t change because of a bad result. Training isn’t punishment.

Daily Mail paragraph of the day
Please enjoy the indignation in this unimprovable game’s gone moment, one that surely strikes to the very core of all the myriad problems at Manchester United.

Losing 4-1 to Como was more than a defeat. It felt like a surrender. How apt that United played in white. Noussair Mazraoui played in tights, for goodness sake.

Carrick must condemn.