Man United head coach Michael Carrick facing "nightmare week" as potential replacements are discussed

Former Arsenal and England attacker Paul Merson has admitted that he fears for Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick ahead of "a nightmare week".

A poor start to the 2026-27 campaign has seen Man United win just one of their six matches in England's top flight, and they are down in 13th spot in the Premier League table on six points.

The pressure is building on Carrick ahead of a trip to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, with that match coming before a Premier League fixture with Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon.

Merson has said that Man United's performance in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur was 'worrying', and the 58-year-old has questioned whether Carrick will survive two more poor results in quick succession.

"After Saturday's game, I'd more worried if you're a Man Utd fan. I've seen signs with Tottenham that things can improve, there's something there. I haven't seen any signs with Man Utd at the moment," Merson wrote in his column for Sky Sports.

Carrick is under increasing pressure at Man United

"Now, Michael Carrick is in trouble over the next two games. I hope he doesn't get the sack, but he's in trouble. It's a nightmare week for him. I couldn't think of two worse games - and I don't think they're going to win either of them.

"Atletico Madrid, at their ground, it's a difficult game. They're hard to beat, a very difficult team to play against and beat. They don't let in a lot of goals. Then you go to Leeds, who's one of Man Utd's champion enemies. This is a big, big, big football match. A big rivalry. And it's one of Leeds' biggest games.

"And if you're a Leeds fan, after the weekend, you'd be shocked if Man Utd beat them at Elland Road. Every Leeds fan would be disappointed if they didn't get a result against Man Utd this weekend.

"Now that's a big swing in football. How many times have we said that about Leeds vs Man utd games? And it tells you everything you need to know about Man Utd.

"I've always said the same thing about Carrick. When they were playing well last season and he got them into the Champions League, everyone was saying: give him the job, give him the job. But what I wanted to see was how he'd react when they go three or four games without a win.

Merson: 'Man United should have appointed Emery'

"It's alright when you're winning every week. You're all in, you're on a crest of a wave. Ask any manager, it's easy when you're rolling. But how was Carrick going to handle the pressure? What was he going to do differently? We're seeing that now. It doesn't seem like he is coming up with the ideas to get out of it.

"If he was like this last season, he wouldn't have got the United job permanently. But now he's got the contract. United should have gone for Unai Emery. They should have done whatever they could to get someone like him. Someone with major experience, who has been around the block. This is a hard job.

"Now, who else is going to come in? Eddie Howe is probably the man they'd go for. He's the only one about isn't he? Antonio Conte could go in, he'd steady the ship. But I don't know if he wants to play entertaining football and set the world alight. I don't know what the Man Utd owners want."

Man United are without a win in their last four matches in all competitions, suffering two defeats in the process.