Fabregas was asked on Tuesday about a growing list of reports linking him to Old Trafford should Manchester United part ways with Carrick. The Como manager would not play along.
“I won’t answer that question because I think that’s not a very nice question,” he told reporters at his pre-match press conference.
“I don’t think that shows enough respect to a great footballer and manager like Michael Carrick at the helm of a wonderful Manchester United side.”
The timing explains the sting. Como host United at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Wednesday evening in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, with kick-off at 6:45pm local time. Both clubs sit near the bottom of the 36-team table on three points.
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United arrive winless in six
Manchester United have won only two of their first ten matches in all competitions this season and are on a six-match winless run, the worst domestic start the club has made in four decades according to TeamTalk, who first reported Fabregas’s remarks.
Carrick took over at Old Trafford as caretaker after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal in January and was handed the job permanently in May on a deal through to 2028. The current slump has quickly undone the goodwill from securing Champions League qualification last season.
Howe and Hurzeler also on the list
Fabregas is not the only name in circulation. Eddie Howe, out of work since stepping down at Newcastle during pre-season, has been identified as a potential replacement by Manchester United, with reporting indicating the owners’ patience is thinning.
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler is another name on the list, though United may struggle to prise him away. The German is contracted until 2029, his Brighton side are third in the Premier League and have just thumped Crystal Palace 5-0 in the derby. Hurzeler is reported to be happy on the south coast.
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First time hosting United
For all the noise around his name, Fabregas pulled attention back to the fixture itself.
“Manchester United is a historical club I know very, very well. It’s an honour to host them for the first time in our history,” he said.
The 39-year-old Spaniard has lifted Como to fifth in Serie A after a 3-1 win over Fiorentina at the weekend. In the Champions League, however, Como are 12th in the league phase, level on points with United in 13th.
A win on Wednesday would hand United a seventh match without a victory.
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