Who should replace Michael Carrick if Manchester United make a change?

Football is a results business, and Manchester United's latest run has put Michael Carrick under growing pressure.

Seven games without a win have raised questions about whether the club can stay patient as the project moves further from its objectives.

The defeat to Como added to the scrutiny, and while Carrick is still expected to take media duties ahead of Bournemouth, speculation around his future continues to grow.

INEOS have already overseen managerial changes at the club, and if they decide another reset is necessary, who should they turn to?

Here are the leading candidates.

Antonio Conte: The short-term winner

If Manchester United want an immediate response, Antonio Conte is arguably the most obvious candidate.

Conte's CV speaks for itself. He delivered Premier League success with Chelsea, won league titles in Italy, and has a reputation for demanding elite standards from day one.

There would be no grace period.

His intensity, winning mentality and ability to organise teams quickly would normally lead to an immediate upturn in results.

The concern is whether he fits the long-term vision Manchester United claim to be building.

Conte has rarely stayed at one club for long and is known for publicly challenging boards when he feels promises haven't been fulfilled.

He would raise standards immediately.

He would also bring plenty of fireworks.

Eddie Howe: The Premier League specialist

Eddie Howe's work at Newcastle United deserves enormous respect.

He guided the Magpies back into the Champions League and delivered the club's first major trophy in generations.

Few English managers have improved players as consistently as Howe in recent years.

The question is whether success at Newcastle automatically carries over to Manchester United.

Managing United brings a different level of scrutiny.

Every decision becomes a headline.

Every defeat becomes a crisis.

Howe has shown he can build a football club.

Whether he can thrive in the pressure cooker that is Old Trafford remains the unknown.

Julian Nagelsmann: The modern choice

Of all the names linked with the role, Julian Nagelsmann may be the most exciting.

The German built his reputation at RB Leipzig as one of Europe's brightest tactical minds before moving to Bayern Munich.

While his Bayern spell didn't end perfectly, it showed he can operate at one of the biggest clubs in world football.

His connection with Christopher Vivell could also prove significant if United seriously explore the possibility.

Nagelsmann feels like the manager who best fits with the modern football structure INEOS appear to be trying to create.

Young.

Progressive.

Innovative.

The challenge would be convincing him that Manchester United remains the right project.

Fabian Hürzeler: The wildcard

Fabian Hürzeler is perhaps the most intriguing outsider.

Brighton remain one of the Premier League's best-run clubs, competing in Europe while regularly outperforming teams with larger budgets.

Much of that success comes from their structure, recruitment, and style of play.

Hürzeler has done well in that environment.

The issue is experience.

At his age, and with his managerial career still developing, Manchester United would represent the biggest challenge of his professional life.

The talent is clear.

The risk is equally clear.

Unai Emery: The proven operator

If Manchester United want certainty, Unai Emery may be the strongest candidate available.

His work at Aston Villa has been extraordinary.

Under his leadership, Villa have transformed from European hopefuls into genuine Champions League regulars.

He has won trophies and managed elite clubs, while also building successful teams across multiple leagues.

The biggest obstacle is whether Emery would even be interested.

At Villa, he has influence, stability and a project built around him.

Manchester United would undoubtedly be a bigger job, but not necessarily a better one.

Emery is ambitious, but he is also appreciated and trusted where he is.

That matters.

Or should Manchester United stick with Carrick?

There is another option.

Do nothing.

Manchester United have already dismissed Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim in recent years.

If Carrick were to leave, it would mean another managerial reset and another footballing vision abandoned before it could be completed.

At some point, the club must ask whether changing managers is solving the problem.

Or merely restarting it.

Carrick earned the role through his work last season and, for long periods, appeared capable of building something sustainable.

The current run has been poor.

There is no hiding from that.

Successful clubs are often built through patience rather than anxiety.

Arsenal endured difficult times under Mikel Arteta before reaping the rewards of sticking to a long-term plan.

Manchester United must decide whether they truly believe in their current direction.

Verdict

If Manchester United decide a change is necessary, Julian Nagelsmann feels like the ideal fit.

His tactical expertise, flexibility, experience at elite clubs, and connections to key decision-makers make him a strong pick for a club trying to modernise.

However, the strongest argument may still be keeping Michael Carrick.

Manchester United's problems have persisted through multiple managers, different tactical systems and countless signings.

Another dismissal might satisfy supporters in the short term.

But unless the club truly believes Carrick has lost the dressing room or cannot reverse the slide, patience could still prove the smarter decision.

The question is no longer whether Carrick is under pressure.

The question is whether Manchester United are prepared to go through another reset.