Mounting pressure at Old Trafford
Carrick is facing an increasingly uncertain future at United after a disastrous start to the campaign. The club has endured a dismal run of form, culminating in a heavy 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Sunday. That result leaves United with just one victory in their last eight Premier League outings.
Unfortunately for Carrick, the awful performances on the pitch have been matched by growing unrest behind the scenes. Lisandro Martinez has reportedly spoken out against the club’s hierarchy. Meanwhile, club captain Bruno Fernandes has openly aimed criticism at Carrick and his coaching staff, highlighting a deeply fractured dressing room.
Scholes identifies the perfect replacement
If the club ultimately decides to make a managerial change, Scholes believes Conte is the ideal candidate. When presented with a shortlist including Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann, the United legend was clear on his preference. Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast, Scholes admitted the Italian would be a risky but necessary appointment to salvage the season.
"You’d have to pick a manager who you think will get us back to being a competitive team for the Premier League," Scholes explained. "Out of them three, Antonio Conte’s the man, but he comes with a big f***ing massive warning.
"He’s made noises that he wants to come and I’m pretty sure the club would have spoke to all three of them. I can’t understand why he’d want this job because I don’t think the team’s good enough for him, personally.
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Emery considered but Conte remains the priority
Scholes also suggested Aston Villa manager Unai Emery as a potential solution. He praised the Spaniard for consistently producing excellent results and winning the Europa League, despite frequently losing his best players to transfers. However, the United legend still views Conte as the superior option due to his elite pedigree.
"I think Conte’s the best one around," Scholes noted. "When I’m talking best in class and you talk them four, I think Antonio Conte’s miles ahead of all of them. You think Juventus, he went to Napoli and goes and wins the league with them. He’s volatile, I know he’s volatile and might be a bit of a madman, but when you talk about successful managers at top clubs he’s streets ahead.
"I don’t care if it’s short term. I don’t care if he’s there 18 months and he gets us challenging for the league, that would be a success. The more and more I think about it, Conte needs to come in and start banging some heads together."
A tough match against Chelsea awaits
United must quickly shift their focus back to on-pitch matters as a demanding fixture awaits. They will face Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, and the pressure will intensify on Carrick if the squad fails to secure a victory.