Ruben Amorim's self-inflicted implosion aside, 2025/26 was a rare, serene season off the pitch for Manchester United, with the calming presence of Michael Carrick no doubt aiding matters.

In years gone by, United had dominated the headlines due to a range of issues relating to the likes of Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, with there never a dull day at Old Trafford.

Perhaps it's the presence of the Amazon cameras, but things have begun to heat up again in Manchester, both on and off the field, with the saga surrounding the future of JJ Gabriel having been the key talking point this week.

For Jason Wilcox and co, losing the 15-year-old wonderkid would be an untimely blow, the failure to keep hold of the youngster one of many things to have gone awry under INEOS' watch.

Why JJ Gabriel exit would be a disaster for Wilcox and Man Utd

Formerly a key figure in Manchester City's academy set-up, Wilcox's expertise in that area was meant to aid United's approach in the youth ranks.

There have been aggressive moves made of late to poach up-and-coming stars from rival clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur's Tynan Thompson, yet the handling of Gabriel is a black mark against the Englishman, it has to be said.

Of course, on the one hand, there is an unease surrounding the teenager and his camp, with United having a duty of care not to rush a mere 15-year-old into first-team action before he's ready. As Carrick was keen to stress in midweek, Gabriel is still a child.

By all accounts, the Red Devils boss was actually planning to include the academy starlet in the squad against Brighton and Hove Albion before the bombshell news broke regarding his desire to leave, with it intriguing as to why things have unravelled so swiftly.

Perhaps that is on Carrick, amid the lack of action for Gabriel in pre-season, but the buck surely stops with Wilcox in terms of recruitment and ensuring that such talents remain happy and satisfied at the club.

The expectation is that the fleet-footed forward will go on to be a star of the future, even if it is still too early to truly say, with questions needing to be asked as to why he and his family feel the need to pursue a fresh opportunity elsewhere.

An exit hasn't been confirmed as yet, but it looks to be heading that way with Gabriel no longer training at Carrington. Yet another issue and debacle that doesn't reflect well on INEOS.

Why Wilcox's handling of Man Utd star is a bigger sackable offence

If a slow start to the season continues, Carrick will likely be the next managerial casualty at Old Trafford, but at what point do those above him start to feel the heat?

The likes of Wilcox are quick to put their name to new signings and contract extensions, yet merely drift back into the background when things begin to go sideways on the field.

The lingering presence of the Glazers complicates matters, but Wilcox and co have made a mess of things right from the off, be it from keeping, and then swiftly sacking, Erik ten Hag, alongside hiring a manager in Amorim who was so wedded to an unsuited 3-4-2-1 system.

A more pressing issue from the summer was the lack of sales overseen by INEOS too, with recent performances highlighting that there are a core of players who should have been moved on long ago.

Indeed, the handling of Joshua Zirkzee feels like the perfect example of why Wilcox just isn't up to the task, with every man and his dog able to see that the Dutchman isn't of the level required to succeed in Manchester.

The 24-year-old has been at United for over two years now, yet has scored just five Premier League goals in that time, a frankly dismal record for a £36.5m striker signing.

As early as January 2025, mere months into his time at the club, an exit was being touted, although here we are, with Zirkzee still part of the first-team ranks.

His dire form may well have made it difficult to shift the striker, particularly without taking a loss, yet even so, selling or offloading the former Bologna man should have been a priority for Wilcox as the deadline approached.

A return to Serie A fell flat, as did a surprise move to Everton, with it also particularly egregious that the United hierarchy were unable to source any kind of upgrade or replacement for United's number 11.

As it is, Zirkzee remains the only real alternative to Benjamin Sesko through the middle, the pair both looking desperately poor in midweek.

Zirkzee, a rare deft touch aside, is so out of kilter with his teammates and the rigours of the Premier League, his performance against the Seagulls surely set to prove the final straw.

From 17 touches, the £105k-per-week flop lost the ball ten times, having lost all four of his attempted ground duels and failing to complete any of his attempted dribbles, ending the evening with a lowly 56% pass accuracy rate.

How Wilcox and the recruitment department have left Carrick with such desperate options in attack really does boggle the mind, with Zirkzee surely in the running to be considered among the worst signings made in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

For Wilcox especially, while the saga surrounding JJ Gabriel may be out of his control to a degree, he's had ample opportunity to shift and upgrade upon Zirkzee.

In general too, the former City and Southampton man has left Carrick to deal with a squad short in so many areas, with such issues already being exposed by mid-September.

Let's face it, Wilcox should be losing his job long before Carrick faces the axe at Old Trafford.