Shearer warns Howe would struggle for control at Manchester United as Carrick's job hangs by a thread

Alan Shearer has raised serious doubts about Eddie Howe’s suitability as a Manchester United manager, arguing the club’s deep-rooted instability would prevent the former Newcastle boss from operating on his own terms — as pressure mounts on current manager Michael Carrick ahead of a crunch Premier League meeting with Bournemouth.

Carrick’s United tenure is in serious jeopardy after a wretched start to the season. The club have won just one of their opening seven Premier League fixtures — a 5-2 dismantling of newly-promoted Ipswich Town — and have also suffered an early Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Brighton, along with back-to-back Champions League defeats to Atlético Madrid and Como.

With speculation over Carrick’s future already swirling, Shearer — the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer — addressed the managerial landscape at Old Trafford, and was candid about why Howe, who departed Newcastle in July after five seasons and a Carabao Cup triumph, may not be the right fit.

“Eddie Howe has also been linked — he wants control of things and in a club that he sees that is his role and his issue,” Shearer said. “Whether he would get that at Manchester United or not, I don’t know.”

Shearer painted a broader picture of dysfunction at the club, referencing the revolving door of managerial appointments and the turbulent off-field backdrop. “When you go through Ralf Rangnick and Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim, then you talk about the Dan Ashworth situation, you had Dave Brailsford and the compensation they paid Newcastle, then sacked him, their recruitment, arguing with ticket prices — there’s so much going on there in terms of how it highlights the huge problems they’ve got.”

On the prospect of Antonio Conte taking charge, Shearer was similarly measured. “Is Antonio Conte the answer? I don’t know. My only thing would be this: it’s not the coach’s fault. There are huge issues at the football club. I just wonder whether other managers would look at that and think, ‘Well, I know how huge you are, but maybe that’s not the right job at the right time.’”

Despite acknowledging that a Carrick sacking would not surprise him, Shearer made clear he has no desire to see the former United midfielder lose his position. The match against Bournemouth now looms as a potential turning point — a defeat could accelerate a decision from the club’s hierarchy on whether Carrick remains the man to arrest the slide.