Matheus Cunha had a tense exchange with Michael Carrick during Manchester United's 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como on 21 October, VnExpress reported, citing British media. The confrontation was not picked up by television cameras. Cunha was taken off at half-time with United 1-0 down and replaced by Amad. What caused the row is unclear, as is whether it had anything to do with the substitution.
The report adds to the pressure on Carrick before United's Premier League home game against Bournemouth (for background, see Carrick's monologue before the Bournemouth game). At the same time, former Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn has urged Julian Nagelsmann to think hard about the job, and several coaches linked with it have publicly distanced themselves.
A run of public disagreements
According to VnExpress, the Cunha episode is the latest in a series of public rifts between players and staff:
- After the 2-0 defeat by Atlético Madrid, centre-back Lisandro Martínez criticised the lack of new signings and took aim at the club's leadership. He later apologised and was fined.
- After the Como defeat on 21 October, captain Bruno Fernandes publicly questioned the pressing plan, arguing that the decision not to go man-to-man left gaps. Carrick replied that United had partly switched to man-to-man pressing in the second half and still conceded, and insisted the problem was not only tactical: whatever system or tactics you use, he said, you cannot win if you do not run, forwards and back. VnExpress said Fernandes will not be disciplined.
- Then came the reports of the Cunha row.
What makes the story stand out is how warm the relationship once was. In May, when Carrick was interim coach, Cunha backed him for the permanent job, telling BBC Sport on 4 May, as VnExpress recalled, that Carrick had the magic of the Alex Ferguson era. Carrick benched Cunha for several games early this season in favour of Marcus Rashford, but the Brazilian has since won his place back.
Kahn's warning to Nagelsmann
Speaking on RTL/Sky Germany's Triple - der Hagedorn Fußballtalk, Kahn said Nagelsmann would be taking a huge risk at United, where a string of managers have failed since Ferguson retired in 2013, VnExpress reported. From Nagelsmann's point of view, Kahn said, this is not an easy situation, and the 39-year-old should look very carefully at his next destination.
Kahn was Bayern's CEO when the club sacked Nagelsmann three years ago. The German coached Bayern in 2021-2023 and won three trophies, then resigned as Germany coach straight after their round-of-32 exit at World Cup 2026. SGGP said Nagelsmann is currently out of work, had been seen as the front-runner thanks to his close working relationship with United's head of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, and is very interested in a challenge in England.
The Daily Mail, as cited by VnExpress, reported that Vivell is pushing for Nagelsmann, but football director Jason Wilcox prefers candidates proven in the Premier League, such as Eddie Howe, Fabian Hurzeler, Unai Emery and Antonio Conte. For now, talk of Carrick's successor remains media speculation.
The candidates respond
- Antonio Conte said on social media on 23 October that his name had been linked with several clubs but that no talks were at an advanced stage (VnExpress). He wants time to consider his future after leaving Napoli in June and denied reports that he had made financial demands or asked for full control of football operations. SGGP noted that he left the door open to a serious project.
- Fabian Hurzeler, 33, the youngest manager in the Premier League according to SGGP, said at his press conference before Brighton's game against Liverpool that he had no time for rumours, was fully focused on Brighton and had great respect for Carrick. VnExpress said his contract has no release clause; Brighton are third in the league with one defeat and 23 goals, the most in the division.
Carrick and the Solskjaer parallel
SGGP argued that United's situation echoes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's: both impressed as interim managers and then struggled once given the job permanently. Its figures:
| Stat | Carrick | Solskjaer |
|---|---|---|
| Interim spell | 11 wins, 3 draws, 2 defeats (16 games) | 14 wins, 2 draws, 3 defeats |
| First 12 games as permanent manager | 3 wins, 4 draws, 5 defeats | 3 wins, 3 draws, 6 defeats |
| Win rate, first 12 games | 25% | 25% |
| Goals for–against, first 12 games | 20–19 | 12–19 |
SGGP said United took seven points from their first seven Premier League games of 2026-27, went out of the Carabao Cup after a 3-2 defeat by Brighton and lost two of their three Champions League matches. VnExpress counted two wins in Carrick's first 11 games this season, the club's worst start in decades. Solskjaer was eventually sacked in November 2021 after 149 games in permanent charge, with 78 wins, 33 draws and 38 defeats.
What's next
The Bournemouth game is the next test for Carrick and a dressing room with several dissenting voices. For background on the Como defeat and Fernandes' comments, see Manchester United's 4-1 loss to Como.