Eddie Howe is ‘open’ to taking over at Manchester United should Michael Carrick lose his job at Old Trafford, according to reports.

United have faced fresh calls to sack Carrick after his side’s shocking 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League.

Manchester United thrived under Carrick last season after he took over as interim manager but have endured a dismal start to the 2026/27 campaign, winning just two of their opening 11 games.

The Red Devils are just 13th in the Premier League ahead of a must-win home match against Bournemouth this weekend.

While Carrick is expected to still be in the dugout for the visit of Bournemouth, BBC Sport say Manchester United have already begun the process of identifying possible replacements.

There is a feeling within Old Trafford that Carrick is being let down by a talented but underperforming squad and that another managerial change will only set the club further back.

However, United’s shocking form cannot be ignored at board level and the likes of Howe, Fabian Hurzeler, Antonio Conte and Julian Nagelsmann are all being monitored as possible Carrick replacements.

Hurzeler is believed to be settled at Brighton, who are currently third in the Premier League, and would therefore have major reservations about leaving, even given the size and history of Manchester United.

Conte and Nagelsmann are both considerably move receptive to the chance to take over at the Theatre of Dreams, but there are concerns about the former’s combustible nature.

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Howe, meanwhile, is said to be ‘open’ to returning to management at Manchester United following his departure from Newcastle United over the summer.

The 48-year-old, who was heavily linked with the England job before Thomas Tuchel’s appointment, spent five years at St James’ Park, taking Newcastle into the Champions League and to Carabao Cup glory.

Before that Howe spent over a decade at Bournemouth, helping the Cherries become an established Premier League club.

Before Manchester United’s alarming Champions League defeat to Como, Dwight Yorke named Howe as the ‘standout’ candidate to replace Carrick.

‘Who is out there? Eddie Howe would be one of those guys who standout out there at the moment,’ Yorke said. ‘He’s not in a job, looking for a job.

‘But if you expand it out there even more, who else is out there? There is nobody else and that’s why Carrick will survive for a little bit longer.

‘There are no top managerial candidates out there who can come in and really excite the people and the fans at Manchester United.’

But Newcastle and England legend Alan Shearer believes Howe’s desire for control over all aspects of a football club could prove problematic at Old Trafford.

‘I’ve seen Eddie Howe being linked but he wants control of things,’ Shearer said. ‘Whether he would get that at Manchester United or not, I don’t know.’