Michael Carrick was at Manchester United’s training ground on Monday afternoon as elsewhere at the ­Carrington base Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and Omar ­Berrada, the chief executive officer, deliberated over whether to sack the head coach.

Carrick arrived at 1.50pm to watch the under-21s play a behind‑closed-doors game.

Wilcox and Berrada met at Carrington early on Monday morning after United’s 3-0 defeat against ­Bournemouth on Sunday at Old Trafford that left Carrick’s job in the balance. Wilcox departed just before 5pm and Carrick left shortly after.

The defeat made it eight games without a win for Carrick’s side, who have two victories all season. United are in 16th in the Premier League, just a point above the relegation zone.

If the 45-year-old Carrick is removed, Eddie Howe remains ­Wilcox’s preferred candidate, with contact between the parties understood to have been made. The former Newcastle ­manager is open to taking up the position, ­subject to negotiations.

Howe, 48, would be less expensive to recruit than Unai Emery, another admired manager, because Aston Villa would demand around £20m in compensation for the ­Spaniard.

Julian Nagelsmann, the ­former Germany and Bayern Munich head coach, is highly regarded by ­Christopher ­Vivell, United’s director of ­recruitment, who is believed to have sounded out his fellow ­German. The pair previously worked together at RB Leipzig.

Wilcox’s view may hold more sway with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who ­controls football policy at United. Antonio Conte, who left Napoli in the summer, is another who may be in the frame.

Carrick dropped Bruno Fernandes for the Bournemouth defeat for what he claimed were “pure football reasons”. This came after the 32‑year‑old criticised Carrick for his tactics in the 4-1 capitulation at Como in the ­Champions League last Wednesday. The United captain was an unused substi­tute and was booed, along with other players, by fans in the ­Stretford End at the end of the defeat against Marco Rose’s side.

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On Monday Fernandes liked an ­Instagram post that said: “Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care.” The post also said: “The person holding everything together is usually the one nobody thinks to check on.”

Ineos, which is owned by ­Ratcliffe, has reportedly put FC ­Lausanne‑Sport up for sale. Ineos declined to comment when contacted by the ­Guardian. ­Lausanne-Sport are bottom of the top division in Switzerland.