Michael Carrick has been given the chance to save his job by turning Manchester United’s results around, with the head coach remaining in place for Saturday’s visit to Chelsea.

The decision by Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and Omar Berrada, the chief executive, can be viewed as a surprise given United’s dire form. Sunday’s abject 3-0 league home defeat by Bournemouth followed last Wednesday’s equally poor 4-1 reverse at Como in the Champions League. Carrick’s side have won twice in 12 games and were eliminated from the Carabao Cup by Brighton. United are 16th in the Premier League, a point above the relegation zone.

Yet Wilcox, who has driven the retaining of Carrick, wants to give the 45-year-old a chance to change form and morale. Whether Carrick could survive another poor performance and result at Stamford Bridge is in the balance.

United host Roma in the Champions League three days later, then Aston Villa in the league the following Sunday before a two-week international window, which would offer a longer period for the board to assess the situation.

Carrick’s reprieve may be a move to allow time for Wilcox to secure a replacement should the decision be taken to sack him.

United will have to pay Newcastle about £3m in compensation if they want Eddie Howe. He is Wilcox’s prime candidate if a change is made and the 48-year-old wants the job at Old Trafford. When he left Newcastle at the end of July a deal was struck on the remaining terms of his contract which means the club would be due compensation.

United would also have to pay Newcastle a minor sum for Howe’s staff, headed by his assistant, Jason Tindall.

Manchester United’s director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, has been pushing the case of Julian Nagelsmann, the 39-year-old former Germany and Bayern Munich head coach.