sacked

Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are emerging as early contenders to become the next Manchester United head coach if Michael Carrick loses his job.

Carrick’s position at Old Trafford is under major threat following the club’s poor start to the season, with work towards identifying his successor believed to be ongoing.

It is understood Howe and Nagelsmann both feature prominently on the list of candidates the club has explored to potentially replace him, and that both managers are aware of United’s interest.

Sources have also indicated Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is admired at United, but the fact he is under contract would complicate any move for the Spaniard.

Howe, Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte – who is interested in the job – are out of work, making their potential appointments easier.

Multiple sources have told BBC Sport that former Newcastle boss Howe is fully open to joining United if Carrick loses his job.

Nagelsmann is available after leaving his job as Germany head coach after the World Cup, while Conte – who has also been linked with Juventus – is open to returning to football after leaving Napoli in May.

Should Carrick be dismissed, the 20-time English top-flight champions will be looking to appoint their eighth permanent manager or head coach since Sir Alex Ferguson departed the club in 2013 on the back of winning their most recent title.

Here, BBC Sport takes a closer look at the contenders who could be up for the job.

Manchester United’s 0-3 home loss to Bournemouth has left the 20-time champions winless in eight Premier League games.

Amid increasing pressure on his team and a growing threat to his own position as manager, Michael Carrick says he will do what is best for Manchester United after a 3-0 demolition by Bournemouth plunged his future into doubt.

Winless in eight games in all competitions, the 20-time English champions slipped to within one point of the relegation zone after a damaging defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday.

“It’s a tough situation,” Carrick told British broadcaster Sky Sports. “What is next? I don’t know.

“I’ll always do what’s best for this football club. I’ve said it all along; I don’t change that now. I love what I do. I love the responsibility, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Asked in a post-match news conference if he expects to be sacked in the coming days, Carrick replied: “I totally understand the situation. I’m not expecting anything in particular, to be honest. I’m carrying on as normal. I love this place.”

Despite a dismal run of results, the United fans largely supported the former midfielder as he made his way off the field at full-time before they turned on the club’s players.

“I have mixed emotions to have that connection with the supporters in the moment we’re in. I need time to digest that,” added Carrick.

“I appreciate their support but the situation is where it’s at. We haven’t been good enough.”

Carrick’s decision to drop captain Bruno Fernandes to the bench and not even introduce the Portuguese international as a substitute backfired.

Fernandes, last season’s Premier League player of the year, had criticised Carrick’s tactics after the 4-1 thrashing by Como on Wednesday.

Carrick said before the game that his call was a “pure football” decision, but it was hard to believe Fernandes was not being punished as he was left on the bench for the entire match.

“There’s always times in games when you are trying to change the course of the game and to make a difference,” said Carrick as he swerved questions on Fernandes’s absence. “Those were the decisions we made today.”

Carrick was appointed on a two-year deal only in May after a successful caretaker spell in charge led United to third place in the Premier League last season.

However, he has been unable to arrest the club’s steep decline since his former boss Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.

United were outspent by many of their rivals in the transfer market as they added just three midfielders – Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba.

But Carrick said a lack of investment did not justify such a decline in results.

“Last season to finish third was a really good achievement in the circumstances,” added Carrick.

“We understood where that left us, what was next, what needed to be done and how we needed to improve, and where we were at as a team and as a group at that stage.

“I definitely knew that we hadn’t cracked it and there was a lot of work to be done, but that doesn’t mean to say that it should have gone this way.”

Saracens have sacked Totoa Auvaa, the academy player who was involved in a nightclub incident with England cricketers Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson in June.

The English Prem club have confirmed that the 21-year-old Samoan forward has left with immediate effect following another incident in St Albans on Saturday.

Auvaa had originally been stood down from all club duties while Saracens investigated the matter.

“The club has determined that his conduct falls short of the standards expected of everyone who represents Saracens, both on and off the pitch,” read a club statement., external

“We take our responsibilities to our supporters, young people and partners seriously and we remain committed to upholding the standards of our conduct expected across the club.”

A disciplinary hearing by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) found that then England captain Stokes and pace bowler Atkinson breached “contractual obligations” but were blameless for “violent conduct” in an incident in June.

Both were present in a London nightclub when a member of England’s security staff was left bloodied and in need of medical attention after being struck by Auvaa.

Stokes and Atkinson were made unavailable for England’s second Test defeat by New Zealand while Auvaa was not sanctioned.

All-rounder Stokes was restored to the team for the deciding third Test, during which he made a stunning announcement to retire from international cricket at the conclusion of the match.