Five points from five Premier League games is not the start to the 2026-27 season that Manchester United expected. It is disappointing.
The draw with Fulham did little to change what many think of Michael Carrick as the Red Devils’ head coach. He might not be the man to take the club back to the top, which is particularly disappointing given the team’s resurgence under him last season, which led many to believe he was the right person to lead United forward.
Now, watching United struggle to dominate games, look sluggish and fail to nick wins has left some doubting Carrick.
While INEOS still have faith in him and believe he can get this team delivering top performances and picking up wins again, that has not stopped whispers about who they could turn to if results do not improve.
Kieran McKenna linked
One of the coaches currently linked with the United job is former Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna, who last week sat in the directors’ box at Old Trafford to watch the Carabao Cup third-round clash with Brighton & Hove Albion.
McKenna is no stranger to United fans. He previously worked as an assistant coach at the club under José Mourinho and then Ole Gunnar Solskjær before leaving Old Trafford in December 2021 for Ipswich, where he went on to become a real success.
He helped the Tractor Boys secure three promotions during his time at Portman Road, underlining just how effective a coach he can be.
Surprisingly, he chose to quit Ipswich even after guiding them to Premier League promotion. Reports suggested he wanted to take a break from football management and spend more time with his family.
But will he now cut that break short to return to the dugout with United, or even Tottenham Hotspur, who are also heavily linked with his services?
According to a Football Fan Cast report: “Kieran McKenna is preparing to return to management and is open to discussions with Manchester United and Tottenham.”
What McKenna is willing to do to secure the Manchester United or Tottenham Hotspur job
The 40-year-old is so keen to join a big club like Man United or Tottenham Hotspur and take the next step in his career that he is prepared to make a significant sacrifice.
The report claims: “Ipswich are due £8m if he joins a new club before July 2027, but that figure can be negotiated down the closer we get towards that deadline, and FFC understand that McKenna would be willing to waive his own share to smooth the path to join a big-six club.”
McKenna presenting himself as an option and showing he is willing to make sacrifices is not good news for Carrick, or for Tottenham’s Roberto De Zerbi.
Yet both still have a chance to turn things around. Interestingly, when the league resumes, they face each other in what some are already jokingly calling the “Sackclassico”.
McKenna will surely take a lot of interest in that game: whoever struggles to outwit the other could soon find himself out of a job, with McKenna closing in on it.
Featured image by Steve Bardens via Getty Images
