Carrick on the brink as United chiefs expected to recommend his sacking

Michael Carrick's time as Manchester United head coach looks to be nearing its end. According to BBC Sport, the club are increasingly likely to sack him after a start that has left them 18th in the Premier League with one win from their first 10 matches.

No final decision has been made, BBC Sport reported. But chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox were expected to recommend to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family that Carrick be dismissed.

The Athletic reported that Carrick was expected to be the latest United manager to lose his job.

The 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday 8 November sent United into the November international break inside the relegation zone. They are one point above bottom-placed Crystal Palace, according to BBC Sport.

A start not seen since 1986-87

BBC Sport described this as United's worst start to a top-flight campaign since the 1986-87 season. Their only league win remains the 5-2 home victory against Ipswich Town on Sunday 30 August, according to ESPN.

The slide into the bottom three came a day before the Villa game. ESPN reported that Nottingham Forest's 3-1 win over Manchester City on Saturday 7 November pushed United into the relegation places, the first time in 40 years they had ended a day there at that stage of a season.

The last time United were in the top-flight drop zone after playing at least nine matches was November 1986, when they were 21st after 15 games, ESPN said.

That comparison carries an uncomfortable echo for Carrick. ESPN noted that Ron Atkinson was fired in November 1986 after United's poor start, with Alex Ferguson replacing him.

A reprieve that has not held

The club's hierarchy have been close to this point already. RTÉ Sport reported that Wilcox and Berrada seriously considered sacking Carrick after the 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on Sunday 25 October, a result that compounded a 4-1 Champions League loss at Como.

United opted to keep him, according to BBC Sport, intending to reassess during the November international break.

What followed did little to strengthen the case for patience. United lost 2-0 at Chelsea, beat Roma 3-2 on Tuesday 3 November and then drew 4-4 with Villa. That is one win from three, and still no league victory since August.

The defensive record stands out. Across the five results cited by RTÉ Sport, from Como to Villa, United conceded 15 goals. Carrick did not hide from it.