Michael Carrick will remain in charge of Manchester United for their weekend trip to Chelsea, despite overseeing the club’s worst start to a top-flight season in 40 years.

The i Paper has been told that despite several alternatives being explored, Carrick is at United’s Carrington base taking training, as is normal for a Tuesday, and is “preparing the team to face Chelsea on Saturday”.

Club sources insisted that “⁠⁠Michael and the players will have the opportunity to turn the situation around”, with everyone focused on “showing our response on the pitch”.

With United languishing just one point above the Premier League drop zone, Carrick was expected to be relieved of his duties on Monday, with Eddie Howe the frontrunner to take charge.

However, after senior executives held a crisis meeting on Monday, with co-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazers kept in the loop, the decision has been made for Carrick to get a surprise reprieve.

What happened on Monday?

With the squad on a scheduled day off, Carrick was not expected to be at Carrington, as senior figures were sharpening their axe. News of yet another managerial sacking, the seventh permanent boss to be relieved of his duties in 13 years, was hotly anticipated.

Instead, there was no white smoke from the Carrington boardroom, and Carrick showed up, on his day off, to watch United’s Under-21s in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Hull City.

Rumours circled that United were waiting for the afternoon and the New York Stock Exchange to open before making an announcement, but club sources insisted no news would be coming out of the club and Carrick could return home an employed man.

Why has Carrick got another chance?

Either way, United needed to give supporters some clarity.

Several insiders have told The i Paper that CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox could not make a call on sacking Carrick yet until they believe a suitable successor is lined up.

Dismissing Carrick, and his coaching staff, will cost the club a considerable amount, on top of the millions and millions they have already wasted paying off previously sacked managers. So they must be certain the next coach is fully interested, and worth making a change for.

One source has claimed that there is a feeling that club need to stop the cycle of sacking managers – hence why Carrick could get a while longer yet.

It was also noted by senior figures that Carrick still retains the backing from a large majority of supporters. Fans’ applause for their beleaguered boss at the weekend did not go unnoticed.

Who do they want in next?

If there was a proper standout alternative, Carrick would be gone. Senior figures, however, cannot agree on who could come in as a replacement.

As The i Paper reported on Monday, Howe is the top pick for Wilcox, who believes Premier League experience is a must for the next coach.

One area of confusion that has prompted United to rethink is what compensation Newcastle will be due as part of the deal to bring Howe to Manchester. When exiting Newcastle in the summer, Howe and his advisers struck a deal on the remaining terms of his contract, ensuring the North-East club would be due compensation if Howe were to take another job before the course of that contract was completed.

The compensation due to prise Fabian Hurzeler and Unai Emery from Brighton or Aston Villa respectively would be more than five times higher which, when United are struggling for disposable funds, makes both almost off limits.

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Another out-of-work coach, Julian Nagelsmann, is the preferred candidate of head of recruitment Christopher Vivell, with the pair having worked together at RB Leipzig.

Several insiders said appointing Nagelsmann was unlikely, given his lack of Premier League experience.

He is understood to remain interested, if Carrick cannot oversee a dramatic turnaround at Old Trafford.