Five players Eddie Howe would instantly axe if he replaces Michael Carrick at Man Utd with Bruno Fernandes set to leave

Eddie Howe would instantly axe several Manchester United players if he succeeds Michael Carrick in the dugout.

Carrick is under increasing pressure to save his skin at Old Trafford after United's humiliating 4-1 defeat to Como in the Champions League extended their winless run to seven matches in all competitions.

The 45-year-old will take charge of the Red Devils against Bournemouth on Sunday (October 25), but his future beyond that is uncertain, with several managers emerging as contenders to replace him.

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Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes to be axed by Eddie Howe if he joins Man United

Antonio Conte, Julian Nagelsmann and Fabian Hurzeler are among the frontrunners to succeed Carrick if he is, indeed, relieved of his duties.

However, former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe is arguably the strongest candidate, with reports claiming that the 48-year-old is Jason Wilcox's preferred choice due to his Premier League experience.

Howe left the Magpies at the end of July, citing exhaustion and a need to recharge as the reason for his departure. But following a successful four-and-a-half years at St James' Park, which included winning the Carabao Cup in 2025, the Englishman would consider taking the job if he is offered it.

That is only if he gets reassurances about the club's structure behind the scenes and control of the club's transfer policy, including who joins and leaves Old Trafford.

Carrick is currently in charge of a fractured dressing room - made even worse by Bruno Fernandes' comments about his tactics on Wednesday - and the Portuguese international is one player who would surely leave if Howe takes over.

Fernandes' deal expires in June 2027 - with the option of a further year - but giving a 32-year-old who is their second-highest earner a new contract isn't the smartest decision, and his naive comments only highlight what is wrong in the dressing room.

For a similar reason, Lisandro Martinez would be told to pack his bags by Howe. The Argentine already sees his contract expire next summer, but the club has no interest in renewing it, especially after his controversial remarks about United's hierarchy.

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Eddie Howe would tell Luke Shaw, Diogo Dalot and Marcus Rashford all to leave

Martinez and Fernandes are the orchestrators of a dressing room that is out of control, and they aren't the only first-team stars who would surely be told to leave.

Marcus Rashford is next on the list. He was heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford in the summer after an impressive loan spell at Barcelona, but United ultimately couldn't convince any club to pay him £325,000 a week.

Instead, Carrick has integrated him back into the first team, and his return has been underwhelming, having failed to score or assist in eight matches across all competitions.

The 28-year-old sees his contract expire in June 2028, and next summer is arguably the last chance to net a solid fee for their academy graduate.

The long-serving Luke Shaw will almost certainly wave goodbye to the club in 2027 after a topsy-turvy 12 years at Old Trafford, spending most of it on the injury table.

Although he finally completed a full campaign last time without suffering any setbacks and playing all 38 Premier League games, Shaw's decline has been sharp this term, and it is finally time to move him on.

Fellow full-back Diogo Dalot is also on the chopping block. He sees his contract expire in 2028 - the same as Rashford - but his performances haven't been consistent enough since joining in 2018, and he wouldn't be able to convince Howe to keep him.