The worry when Manchester United confirmed the appointment of Michael Carrick was that this could be another Ole Gunnar Solskjaer situation.

While it may be too soon to suggest that Carrick needs to go immediately, the pressure is already ramping up on the former midfielder after just one win United's first four Premier League matches.

The positivity that engulfed Carrick's interim tenure looks to have been extinguished with their dismal 1-0 defeat at the hands of ten-man Manchester City on Sunday, only exacerbating the issues in the squad.

So, what's the solution for INEOS? Well, Antonio Conte has been targeted.

Why Man Utd should avoid Conte

For now, patience must be exercised. It would be ridiculous if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co gave Carrick the sack.

After all, this club needs some stability. They need a period without much fuss. Ruben Amorim was perhaps given more time than he should have been but at least Carrick has proven he can engineer positive results at United. They should wait for now.

Stability, however, is precisely why Conte should be ignored if the hierarchy do indeed to relieve the current boss of his job in the forthcoming months.

Reports from Italy on Tuesday suggest that the great Italian tactician is at the top of their shortlist should they decide to change managers.

Conte is currently a free agent after leaving Napoli at the end of last season. He's a six-time league winner, a manager who has won the FA Cup and Premier League so you can see the appeal.

That title-winning experience would no doubt be eye-catching for the top brass at United but the fact is, this is a manager who is known for throwing his toys out of the pram.

Sure, he's successful, but he arguably needs a settled backroom environment to thrive in. United's hierarchy is certainly more settled than it once was but recent history suggests Conte may not fare well at Old Trafford. His time at Tottenham Hotspur ended in tears when he slated the club during a firey press conference.

"Tottenham's story is this: 20 years, there is this owner, and they never won something. Why? If they want to continue in this way, they can change the manager- a lot of managers- but the situation cannot change. Believe me." Harsh? Perhaps. Fair? You bet.

United do not necessarily need a yes man like Carrick to fix things but if they do get rid of him, there is a better option out there than Conte.

Why Man Utd need to hire the "best young coach in Europe"

If United decide to give Carrick his marching orders in the forthcoming months, the manager market actually looks quite vibrant.

Pep Guardiola remains a free agent. Of course, there is no chance of that happening, but he is joined on the job market by the likes of Conte, Dider Deschamps, Arne Slot, Joachim Low and Eddie Howe.

Another option includes Julian Nagelsmann. His time with the Germany national team ended in tears when they were knocked out of the World Cup by Paraguay but this is a manager who has been hailed as the "best young coach in Europe" by reporter Josh Bunting.

Aged 39, he is still very much held in that regard, but why? Well, he's cut from a similar cloth as some of the finest minds to grace the game.

The German coach has cited the likes of Guardiola, Ralf Rangnick, and Jurgen Klopp as three of his main inspirations, while he also worked as an opposition scout during Thomas Tuchel's tenure as coach of the Augsburg reserves. Consequently, he has drawn ideas and principlies from all of them.

Like Klopp, he employs an energetic high press and like Pep, he has a possession-oriented play style. That sounds like an exciting combination. What's more, he's also been handed the nickname of "Mini-Mourinho" by goalkeeper Tim Wiese.

Despite his age, he's immensely experienced. Nagelsmann was given the Hoffenheim job aged 28 while he became the youngest manager in Champions League history to win a game (31) and the youngest manager to win Germany's top division when he lifted the title aged 33.

So, while 57-year-old Conte may be reaching the latter stages of his managerial career, Nagelsmann is only just getting started.

It did not go well in charge of Germany but international management is totally different to managing at club level where he has more than earned his stripes. This would certainly be a wise hire if they did get rid of Carrick.