It's been no different in 2026/27, the Red Devils already finding themselves ten points behind leaders Manchester City, extinguishing any slim hope that this would finally be the year to end the title drought.

Much of the blame for those woes lies at the door of the Glazers, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Jason Wilcox, yet the likely victim is set to be Michael Carrick. Is it really already time to replace him?

Why Carrick's position is already under threat at Man Utd

Two cup clashes with Brighton and Hove Albion provide a nice insight into the cyclical nature of Man United's woes in 2026.

Looking back to January, a sense of apathy had crept in at Old Trafford as the Red Devils, then led by Darren Fletcher, crashed out of the FA Cup at the hands of the Seagulls, young Shea Lacey sent off late on as the hosts limply exited the competition.

In came Carrick to turn United into a more than competent outfit again, the men in red almost embarking on a run of title-winning form between then and May.

Such momentum has been short-lived, however, with the recent Carabao Cup loss to Brighton, a game which started with Lacey netting his first goal for the club, having ended in dismal fashion, the mood turning particularly toxic inside the Theatre of Dreams.

Amid the backdrop of a joint-worst start to a Premier League season for the Manchester side, it's remarkable how quickly things have soured, with Carrick yet to prove he can replicate his interim heroics on a more consistent basis.

Perhaps it'll require a more high-profile, experienced head to steady the ship before too much damage is done.

What managers are currently available on the market?

There shouldn't be a rush to dismiss Carrick from his post, yet if INEOS do have any lingering doubts, it'd be better to act sooner rather than later, instead of letting things drift toward yet another winter of discontent.

This extended international break does provide a sensible time for change, if Wilcox and co wish to wield the axe, with there certainly plenty of intriguing options on the market.

Indeed, there is the looming presence of Eddie Howe in the background, the 48-year-old having left his post at Newcastle United after doing a creditable job at St James' Park.

Sticking with recent Premier League departures too, the likes of Pep Guardiola and Arne Slot are also out of work, albeit with it seemingly highly unlikely that either man would burn their respective Manchester City or Liverpool bridges.

Looking further afield too, the World Cup proved the end for Julian Nagelsmann and Didier Deschamps with Germany and France, respectively, the pair certainly fitting the brief in terms of being elite-level candidates.

That's true of others too, with a frontrunner having seemingly emerged to replace Carrick by all accounts.

Man Utd's leading target to replace Carrick

INEOS shouldn't merely be considering managers who are without a club, with there a feeling that the Old Trafford hierarchy have already played it safe in the transfer market, sealing relatively 'easy' signings, rather than pushing the boat out.

That said, if the right candidate is out of work, then it will also require Wilcox and co to have a sense of urgency and make a move now, rather than seeing their top target join a rival in the near future.

Indeed, as per Italian outlet Calciomercato, the man currently in 'pole position' to replace Carrick is Antonio Conte, the 57-year-old currently a free agent after leaving Napoli at the end of last season by mutual consent.

Initial talks have already been held with the serial-winning coach, as per the report, with United said to be considering a change in the dugout, 'in the near future'.

As those at Tottenham Hotspur are well aware, Conte can be a difficult, combustible character, yet perhaps that is what this club and this team needs, someone to really take control of proceedings from top to bottom.

United had that kind of figure in Sir Alex Ferguson, a man who commanded respect and loyalty, a man who would do anything to win games for football at whatever cost.

Conte, even while a far more short-term option, is cut from a similar cloth, with ex-Red Devils star, Carlos Tevez, previously describing the Italian as being "like Sir Alex Ferguson", amid their spell together at Juventus.

As noted above, unlike Fergie, Conte has rarely stayed anywhere for too long, yet his record speaks for itself, arguably proving a success wherever he's been.

Having won three Serie A titles in succession at Juve between 2011 and 2014, he has also since led both Inter and Napoli to Scudetto success, his latest title win coming in 2024/25.

In Turin and Naples, he won the title in his first season, while the same was also true at Chelsea, even while having inherited a side that had finished in mid-table the previous year under Jose Mourinho.

His time at Spurs, in which he was left empty-handed, was far less fruitful, but Conte isn't exactly the only man to have toiled in north London, having at least secured Champions League football in 2021/22.

That fourth-place finish came despite the experienced coach having walked in the door mid-season, after joining in November, suggesting that he can make an immediate impact even without a pre-season behind him.

His preference for a 3-5-2 formation may have alarm bells ringing, amid the Ruben Amorim debacle, yet Conte did show himself to be more flexible in his last post, shifting to a back four far more regularly in Naples.

Like Ferguson, he's first and foremost a winner, a demanding, driven coach who knows how to turn struggling teams into a competitive outfit again.

That should tick a lot of boxes as far as INEOS are concerned.