Eddie Howe is favourite to take over at Old Trafford as Carrick continues to stumble into the new season.
Michael Carrick’s stuttering start has Manchester United tied into two markets: the Premier League sack race, and the next permanent manager board.
Four league points from four games, a derby defeat and a Carabao Cup collapse have not cost him the job yet, but they have put both prices back under the spotlight heading into Fulham away.
Carrick was made permanent in May on a deal running to 2028 after taking United back into the Champions League as interim. The early 2026/27 return has been messier.
Michael Carrick Sacked Odds
Carrick is not the sack race favourite. Fulham’s Alvaro Arbeloa still leads at a best price of 3/1.
Frank Lampard (7/2 best) and Roberto De Zerbi (11/2 best) sit in the same conversation after difficult starts at Coventry and Tottenham. Pierre Sage is tightly grouped around 5/1 to 6/1. Carrick’s place in that pack is the United specific angle: not shortest on the board, but one of the widest priced swings - he is in from 9/1 after last night's defeat.
Why Carrick is under pressure
United opened with a 2-0 loss at newly promoted Hull, beat Ipswich 5-2, drew 2-2 at Everton after conceding late, then lost 1-0 at home to Manchester City despite City going down to ten men. Carrick has already said four points from four is below the required standard.
The Carabao Cup third round made it worse. United led Brighton 2-0 at Old Trafford and lost 3-2, with boos at full time. Carrick took responsibility.
Summer recruitment was midfield heavy, with Baleba, Santos and Tielemans among the arrivals, and Carrick argued the squad was stronger.
Fulham away on Sunday 20 September is the next big pressure game before the international break.
Manchester United Next Manager Odds
Eddie Howe is the clear favourite at a best price of 15/8 (worst 6/4). That short price is mostly about availability: he stepped down at Newcastle at the end of July to recharge, so the books do not need a compensation saga to make him the United default.
Thomas Tuchel (7/2 best) and Julian Nagelsmann (5/1 best) fill out the top three. Conte is next at 10/1 best, then Southgate and McKenna around 14/1 to 15/1. Fletcher, Ancelotti and the 25/1 group are longer shots on this card. Further out names are priced, but the market that matters for now is Howe versus the continental chasing pack.
A bad Fulham result keeps Carrick hot in the sack race and will likely shortens Howe further. A result into the break takes heat out of both.
