Manchester United are facing another managerial crisis, with Michael Carrick fighting to save his job after a disastrous start to the season.

The former midfielder initially brought stability to Old Trafford after replacing Ruben Amorim in January. He guided United to third place in the Premier League, raising hopes of a long-awaited revival.

However, that progress has unravelled dramatically.

United have won just two of their opening 12 competitive matches this season. Sunday’s humiliating 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth extended their winless run to eight games.

United’s hierarchy were considering replacements even before the Bournemouth defeat, with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann among the leading candidates.

The uncertainty reflects a familiar problem at Old Trafford.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, United have repeatedly changed managers without finding a lasting successor.

Louis van Gaal delivered the FA Cup in 2016 but lost his job shortly afterwards. Jose Mourinho won the Europa League before his relationship with the club deteriorated.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer briefly restored optimism, while Erik ten Hag secured two domestic trophies. Neither could deliver sustained success.

Amorim’s departure brought Carrick back into the dugout, but the club now face the prospect of another appointment.

Amid that uncertainty, one of United’s former managers has received a prestigious honour recognising his achievements across English football.

Former Manchester United manager receives FWA North Tribute Award

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes received the FWA North Tribute Award at a ceremony in Manchester on Sunday evening.

The Football Writers’ Association confirmed the presentation on Monday, recognising the Scot’s achievements across more than 1,200 matches in management.

Moyes was Ferguson’s personally recommended successor at United in 2013, having earned widespread respect for building Everton into regular European contenders.

However, his six-year contract at Old Trafford lasted just ten months. United struggled to adapt after Ferguson’s retirement, and Moyes lost his job in April 2014.

His career subsequently took him to Spain with Real Sociedad before he eventually rebuilt his reputation at West Ham.

There, Moyes delivered the club’s first major European trophy in 58 years, beating Fiorentina in the 2023 Conference League final.

Now back at Everton, he reflected on his relationship with football journalists while accepting Sunday’s honour.

“I’d like to say a big thankyou to the North West’s writers,” Moyes said, recalling how Ferguson and Sam Allardyce encouraged him to attend FWA events as a young coach.

He also praised the role journalists play in football management, acknowledging that relationships between managers and the media are not always straightforward.

The award recognises a career that has endured well beyond his difficult spell at Old Trafford, where the search for Ferguson’s lasting successor continues.