• Job in balance after 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth

• Howe is director of football Jason Wilcox’s top candidate

Manchester United’s hierarchy are in crisis talks over whether or not to sack Michael Carrick as head coach after he oversaw another torrid defeat, against Bournemouth at Old ­Trafford on Sunday, that left his job in the balance.

Carrick was defiant after the 3-0 humbling, insisting he was not expecting to be removed from his post. “I totally understand the situation,” Carrick said of his job prospects. “I’m not expecting anything in ­particular, to be honest. Carrying on as normal and I love this place.”

After Bruno Fernandes was dropped for “pure football” reasons – according to Michael Carrick – could Manchester United actually win a game of football?

The answer, again, was a resounding, humiliating no, and if the manager’s job remains in real peril, you have to wonder, too, if this beleaguered team should steel themselves for a relegation dogfight. They lack imagination, cohesion, fight, confidence and anything resembling joy, and so now, hovering above the drop zone, survival cannot be taken for granted.

• Six points from six games is worst start since 1986

• De Zerbi praises Spurs’ character after late equaliser

Michael Carrick was left “massively disappointed” by Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham at Old Trafford and admitted they need more points after managing six from their opening six league games.

This is United’s poorest start to the season since 1986, Saturday’s draw coming when conceding Dominic Solanke’s added-time equaliser for 10-man Spurs, following Rodrigo Bentancur’s 78th-minute red card. The midfielder was sent off five minutes after Bryan Mbeumo’s opener had left United heading for only a second league victory.

After 72 laboured minutes, this match was lit up by a moment of quality. Matheus Cunha was fed by Luke Shaw down the left and the Brazilian crossed to Bryan Mbeumo, who spun and finished for Manchester United.

It drew delirious chants of “you’re going down with the City” with Spurs, at that stage, rock bottom of the Premier League and Manchester City’s long-term future in the division in question.

• ‘I take responsibility … it doesn’t feel good at the moment’

• United beaten 3-2 by Brighton after taking two-goal lead

Michael Carrick admitted Manchester United’s Carabao Cup capitulation against Brighton that was greeted by boos at Old Trafford was unacceptable and that answers had to be found at Fulham on Sunday.

United were knocked out 3-2 by Fabian Hürzeler’s visitors after leading 2-0 after 10 minutes through Shea Lacey and Mason Mount. Goals from Charalampos Kostoulas in first‑half added time, Pascal Gross on 65 minutes and Maxim De Cuyper four minutes later eliminated United.

Across four days Manchester United have lost the 199th derby against Manchester City, were told by JJ Gabriel that he wants to leave, and now they have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Brighton.

Capitulating after being 2-0 up may be the pick of these dizzying blows, as the prolonged boos at the final whistle suggested, and doing so ends a proud 50-year record: the last time the same lead at Old Trafford ended in defeat was Tottenham’s 3-2 win in September 1976.

• Officiating body announces it will review the incident

• Unhappy Carrick says error was ‘as obvious as it gets’

Pro Ref admitted Erling Haaland’s winner in Sunday’s Manchester derby should not have been allowed after the video assistant referee ruled Enzo Fernández was not interfering with play in the build-up. The elite officiating body will review the decision and has contacted Manchester United.

Haaland’s 60th minute goal for Manchester City at Old Trafford was initially ruled offside before the VAR’s intervention. It came after Josko Gvardiol’s cross hit Patrick Dorgu’s boot, passed Fernández and the United defender Lisandro Martínez, and was finished by the City No 9. VAR decided Fernández was not interfering despite Martínez marking the midfielder.

“Enzo, Enzo, Enzo, in your head” was how delirious Manchester City fans regaled Enzo Fernández, who after a star role in a memorable victory has instant cult hero status.

This 199th derby was won by Erling Haaland’s ninth strike in the fixture but the visitors’ totem was their new No 17. He was the key nuisance in a goal ruled out initially for offside and which the video assistant referee overturned when ruling that Fernández was not distracting Lisandro Martínez when Josko Gvardiol’s ball came over. The Argentinian, too, was an emblem of the fight Maresca’s team carried to Manchester United after Phil Foden appeared to turn the game the hosts’ way on 22 minutes.

Forward’s spurned opportunity to level the match proved decisive in the Champions League newcomers’ loss to Manchester United

Football – like much of life – can be a story of what might have been, and on 39 minutes Joy-Lance Mickels had an experience that was a sliding doors moment for the centre-forward and Sabah that may haunt a long time.

Azerbaijan’s champions were trailing to Matheus Cunha’s opener when Kaheem Parris spiralled the ball up to the far post of Manchester United’s goal. The lurking Mickels had a gilded chance, unmarked and close-in, yet when the delivery dropped, the 32-year-old snatched at his header and the ball fell wide.

To follow the claiming of both the major footballer of the year awards by scoring a hat-trick in Manchester United’s first home game was some Bruno Fernandes act, and points to an intent to continue his stellar form of last season.

Ipswich came to scythe through Michael Carrick’s side via the pace of Julio Enciso, Issa Diop and Daizen Maeda, and when Leif Davis gave them a 29th-minute lead victory looked on.

• ‘We’ve beaten some very, very good teams’

• Arne Slot complains Sesko goal was handball

Michael Carrick stated that leading his team “feels pretty natural” after the interim manager guided Manchester United to a 3-2 win against Liverpool that sealed Champions League qualification.

Victory over Arne Slot’s visitors to Old Trafford took Carrick’s tally to 32 points from his 14 games in charge since replacing Ruben Amorim in January. This has made him the favourite to be offered the full-time position and the 44-year-old was reminded of his record with regard to him becoming the No 1.

On 77 minutes up stepped Kobbie Mainoo with the coolest of ­winners in front of the Stretford End to cause bedlam among home fans and wrest the bragging rights Manchester ­United’s way.

Alexis Mac Allister’s weak clearance rolled to the midfielder who beat Dominik Szoboszlai to punch home a finish that beat Freddie Woodman to the Liverpool goalkeeper’s right.

• Former United manager felt unwell at Old Trafford

• 84-year-old initially treated as precautionary measure

Sir Alex Ferguson was taken to ­hospital from Old Trafford after feeling unwell before Manchester United’s game against Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The move was believed to be a precautionary one, and the Guardian has been told the 84-year-old is out of harm’s way. After United’s 3-2 win Michael Carrick was asked about the health of the former United manager, who is considered the club’s greatest.

This swashbuckling victory moved Manchester United to within two points of Champions League qualification and is prima facie evidence of the job Michael Carrick has executed since his appointment as interim manager.

The performance is also a fair ­calling card for the permanent role as United bettered a doughty Brentford by simply being better.

• ‘It is not aggressive, there is no jolt,’ says United coach

• Daniel Farke hails ‘amazing’ league win at Old Trafford

Michael Carrick branded Lisandro Martínez’s red card for pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair as “shocking” and said Manchester United may appeal as the defender faces a three-match ban.

If the sending off in United’s 2-1 defeat by Leeds at Old Trafford on Monday night stands, Carrick could be without his two first-choice centre-backs for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea as Harry Maguire may be suspended for a second match. Martínez was sent off after 56 minutes when Paul Tierney, after reviewing the incident on the monitor, ruled it a red-card offence, with Leeds 2-0 ahead.

Chants of “Daniel Farke, Daniel Farke” rang out from the travelling faithful after this seismic Leeds win lifted them six points clear of Tottenham, whose plight darkens further after the visitors pulled off a first league win at Old Trafford since February 1981.

It means Michael Carrick has lost a home game for the first time as Manchester United’s interim manager. His team lacked control throughout, a state not aided by Lisandro Martínez’s silly 56th-minute red card for yanking Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ponytail, and he is now suspended for three matches, though the club may appeal.

On 71 minutes a classic Manchester United riposte, via Matheus Cunha, to Ross Barkley’s equaliser moments before. From around halfway, the peerless Bruno Fernandes glanced up and steered the ball through an inside left channel for Cunha. United’s No 10 galloped forward and as Emiliano Martínez loomed large the Brazilian’s curled finish was a peach that kissed the far right of the net, Cunha stepping forward before the Stretford End to soak up the ecstatic adoration.

Fernandes’ assist was his 100th in all competitions for United, the contest’s second, and 16th in the Premier League. The last statistic is a club record, this term’s competition high, and a latest argument for winning the player of the season awards.

As the second half began, a banner appeared in the Stretford End that read: “MUFC proudly colonised by immigrants”. If this was a riposte to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s assertion that these shores have been overrun by those from overseas (for which the co-owner half-heartedly apologised), Manchester United needed their own reply to a listless opening period that left them trailing to Maxence Lacroix’s early header.

Eleven minutes after the restart, they found one.

Michael Carrick’s Manchester United revival has a fourth consecutive league win, while Thomas Frank’s Tottenham sink further, with still no victory in the competition in 2026. Bruno Fernandes’s 81st-minute strike was a feathered touch off a shin – from Diogo Dalot’s cross – that beat Guglielmo Vicario to the left of the Spurs goalkeeper, and confirmed a miserable day for Frank.

“He is our captain and one of our important players,” the Dane had said after retaining Cristian Romero as captain despite the defender’s “disgraceful” outburst regarding there being only 11 outfield players available for last Sunday’s draw with Manchester City.

Benjamin Sesko will never forget the stoppage-time pirouette and finish in front of the Stretford End that burst Bernd Leno’s net and earned Manchester United a memorable victory over Fulham.

Just 180 seconds earlier Kevin had curled a peach of an equaliser past Senne Lammens that hushed the Old Trafford faithful and seemed to have grabbed a point for the visitors.