Carrick walking on thin ice as 6-time league winner ready to negotiate with Man Utd
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick is starting to feel the pressure, with Antonio Conte emerging as a concrete candidate to replace him.
On Saturday, the Red Devils resumed their campaign with a 1-1 draw as they hosted Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford.
Spurs entered the contest last in the Premier League standings, but they dominated the action in the first half and managed to net a late equaliser through Dominic Solanke despite being reduced to 10 men.
Man Utd consider sacking Michael Carrick and bringing in Antonio Conte
After collecting only six points from as many league fixtures, United have recorded their worst league start in 40 years.
Therefore, many observers believe Carrick won’t be able to survive the storm. With a terrifying fixture list that includes clashes against Atletico Madrid, Leeds United, Chelsea, Como, and Roma, the 45-year-old might not make it to the November international break.
According to Oddschecker, Carrick is now the ultimate favourite to become the first Premier League coach to get sacked this season, overtaking Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa.
| Next EPL Manager to go | Odds | Implied probability | Betting split (bets received in the last 48 hours) |
| Michael Carrick | 2/1 | 33% | 35% |
| Alvaro Arbeloa | 5/2 | 29% | 27% |
| Roberto De Zerbi | 11/4 | 27% | 14% |
| Oliver Glasner | 6/1 | 14% | 6% |
| Pierre Sage | 8/1 | 11% | 1% |
| Frank Lampard | 10/1 | 9% | – |
Interestingly, these odds coincide with reports from Italy (as well as England) claiming that Conte would ‘gladly’ listen to Man Utd’s proposal.
According to Calciomercato.it, the 57-year-old could open a dialogue with the Premier League giants as early as this week.
Why Conte is the right man for Man Utd
The Italian tactician is currently unattached after leaving Napoli at the end of last season. His stint at the Stadio Maradona yielded his fifth Serie A title (having previously won three at Juventus and one at Inter Milan).
The Lecce native had also crowned his Chelsea tenure (between 2016 and 2018) with a Premier League trophy. He also had a less memorable spell at Spurs.
Conte has often changed formations and tactics, but high intensity and hard work have been common denominators throughout his coaching career.
Therefore, the Italian would be the ideal profile to evoke a reaction from MUFC players, especially those who have been too complacent.
This season, the numbers show that United are running less than any other Premier League side, a metric that would definitely change if the former Juventus and Chelsea coach takes over.
Curiously, Conte did reveal his desire to elevate a fallen giant in his next tenure during a recent interview with The Athletic, albeit without dropping any names.
At this stage, Carrick perhaps deserves additional time to try and rescue his Old Trafford spell, but whenever INEOS decide to wield the axe, Conte should be considered the main target.
