Manchester United are 16th in the Premier League, one point above the relegation zone, after eight league matches without a win. The latest was a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on 25 October, with goals from Rayan, Marcus Tavernier and Evanilson. It left Michael Carrick fighting for his job ahead of Saturday’s trip to Chelsea. If United do make a change, the name mentioned most often is Eddie Howe, who has been out of work since leaving Newcastle on 31 July.
Carrick has been kept on for the game at Stamford Bridge. According to The Sun, director of football Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada met on Monday to discuss what to do next, and Howe is Wilcox’s preferred candidate. The same reports say the board is split. Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte are also out of work and have been linked with the job.
What Howe would bring
Wilcox reportedly wants a manager with a proven Premier League record, and Howe fits that. When he took over at Newcastle in November 2021, the club were 19th and had not won a league game all season. He kept them up. In 2022-23 they finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League for the first time in two decades.
His best moment came in March 2025. Newcastle beat Liverpool 2-1 at Wembley to win the Carabao Cup, the club’s first major domestic trophy since the 1955 FA Cup. Before that, Howe had taken Bournemouth from League Two to the Premier League, so he has a long record of improving clubs that were struggling.
He would also bring his own coaching staff. The Newcastle Chronicle reports that assistants Jason Tindall, Stephen Purches and Simon Weatherstone could join him. They worked together through his time at Newcastle, which would give United a settled coaching team at a point when the club has little stability.
- Took over Newcastle in 19th place in November 2021 and kept them up
- Champions League qualification in 2022-23
- Carabao Cup winner, March 2025, beating Liverpool 2-1
- Took Bournemouth from League Two to the Premier League
The challenges
Howe’s last season at Newcastle went badly. They finished 12th in 2025-26, and the summer that followed was difficult: Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali were sold and Bruno Guimaraes was reported to be heading to Arsenal. Howe’s final game was a 4-1 pre-season defeat by Championship side Bristol City. He then stepped down, saying he had made the decision after “a period of personal reflection”. Matthias Jaissle replaced him.
Leaving Newcastle has not freed him completely. A clause in his contract still entitles the Tyneside club to compensation if he takes another job. BBC Sport reports that the fee was originally about £6m and has since dropped to £3m. Howe was earning around £6m a year at St James’ Park on a deal extended in summer 2024.
The dressing room he would inherit is a problem. Carrick dropped captain Bruno Fernandes for the Bournemouth game after Fernandes publicly criticised the team’s tactics following a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como. Fernandes did not come off the bench. Any new manager would have to settle that dispute straight away.
United’s history since Sir Alex Ferguson retired is another concern. Bournemouth have now won 3-0 at Old Trafford in three of the last four seasons, each time against a different United manager. Several established managers have come and gone in that period, and the club’s structure has often been blamed as much as the coaches.
What it means going forward
Howe is available immediately, and that matters to a club that needs results now. United would not have to negotiate with a current employer mid-season. The compensation is lower than it was, and he would not need time to learn the league.
It would still be a gamble for both sides. Newcastle’s 12th-place finish raises the question of whether Howe can rebuild a squad that has lost confidence, and United would be taking that risk with a squad in a relegation fight. For Howe, Old Trafford is a far bigger job than any he has held, with heavier scrutiny, and the last few managers there have not lasted long.
The Chelsea game on Saturday may decide the timing. A ninth league match without a win would probably force the board to act. A positive result might give Carrick more time, though the reports suggest United’s leadership have already been looking at who could replace him.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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