HOW ABOUT HOWE AS CARRICK REPLACEMENT AT ManU?

 .MORE SOCCER … Sorry about that but ...

BELIEVE IT OR NOT … bookmakers in England don’t think MICHAEL CARRICK is a lock to be fired by stumbling, bungling Manchester United any time soon. The manager/coach remains 2/1 to hang in there at least until season’s end … They also will give you odds of 5/2 he will be gone by Christmas Day. Or, 6/1 to be sacked during the international break which got under way this week … 

… Sunday at Fulham, the Men of Carrick were lucky to get a point – their fifth in as many games (worst start in club history) – when midfielder SEA CHARLES accidentally deflected  MATHEUS CUNHA’s first goal of the season Diving to his right, Fulham keeper BERND LENOwas caught going the wrong way when Charles stuck out his right leg in an aggressive attempt to block the heavy shot from just outside the box … the ball suddenly changing direction. On the verge of nailing his first clean sheet, Leno never had a chance.

It probably should have been an own goal although the official scorekeeper apparently gave Cunha benefit of the doubt … even though Leno had moved into position to make another spectacular save of which he had several to enable Fulham (0-3-2) to escape last place on goal differential over Tottenham, which has the same record ...There was, however, no question about the home team goal … when ManU keeper SENNE LAMMENS made a routine save but, carelessly, allowed the ball to ricochet to defender LISANDRO MARTINEZ, who accidentally struck the ball into his own goal in the 63D minute.

ON SECOND THOUGHT … maybe United would be wise not to rush to judgement on Carrick ... given what Brighton and Hove Albion did Saturday to mighty Arsenal … beating – make that dominating – the defending EPL champions 3-0 before a delighted SRO home crowd of 31,944 … It could just be one of THOSE seasons.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT II … Yet another English Premier League match was determined by VAR intervention Saturday … when Nottingham Forrest’s IGOR JESUS was judged to have stepped on the foot of Coventry City’s GUSTAVO HAMER, negating a game-tying goal by Jesus in stoppage time and enabling the last-place visitors to win their first game since rejoining the EPL from relegation ... At first refereeJARRED GILLETT signaled the goal would count but, after consultation with VAR official PAUL TIERNEY  and a check of the replay himself, changed his mind ... Let the controversy, and discussion thereof, begin!

It was what has become a regular occurrence in British soccer, where what happens in real time doesn’t appear sinister enough to be overturned … yet when

the man from VAR sees it in slow-motion he has, to all intents and purposes, the last word ... And, while the referee doesn’t have to accept the verdict that comes from a location miles away, few do. Better to let VAR take the brunt of criticism in the aftermath … which most assuredly will follow.

Like Saturday when NBC’s onsite commentator LEE DIXON could not be persuaded City was not beneficiary of “a bad call.”

“There was contact, yes … a foul no,” the former player said. “[Hamer] took three, four steps before going down. He could have stayed up, but [because] he felt the pressure … in my opinion.”

In the NBC studio, former USMNT and EPL star keeper TIM HOWARD disagreed. “He’s in the penalty area … so he doesn’t want to go down. Too risky. I thought from the beginning it was a foul...because the impact made him go down,” Howard said.

JAY DASILVIA scored in the 55^th minute for City’s first goal of the year, his first since 2001 in perhaps the world’s best soccer league, and it took a spectacular bicycle-kick for a direct save off the line by BOBBY THOMAS to maintain the clean sheet ... “It just didn’t seem to want to go in,” he said.

FRANK LAMPARD, the Coventry coach, couldn’t have cared less how or why it happened. There he was, leading cheers in front of the City fans, smiling and clapping … acting like his team, as NBC studio host REBECCA LOWE, “has finally won a game [in the EPL] for the first time in a quarter century,” which it had. 

“They got a good performance and the result,” Howard said, 
“but they’re not going to have many of them.”

HEADING INTO a 3-week hiatus from the grueling 9-month EPL schedule, Manchester City seems to have gotten over manager PEP GUARDIOLA’s sudden departure following the 2025-26 campaign. After a few minor glitches, ENZO MARESCA quickly established himself as worthy successor to look-like Guardiola … One of four unbeaten teams, the Big Blue (5-0-0) has a three-point led over No. 2 Arsenal (4-0-1). 

THIS JUST IN … EDDIE HOWE and KIERAN McKENNA are available, and both have been quoted as saying they would jump at the opportunity to become coach/manager at Manchester United … McKenna has been out of work since leaving Ipswich Town which, reportedly, would get about $10 million if he signs with another club before July, 2027 … So, how badly does he want the job? McKenna told a reporter he would waive his share of the payment … Howe, however, is considered the front runner. Known for getting the most out of younger players then selling them for big bucks, Howe was named Manager of the Decade in 2018 after leading Bournemouth to three promotions in seven years … Meanwhile, the Red Devils haven’t given up on their pursuit of HARRY KANE whose contract with Real Madrid runs out soon. Yes, the same H. Kane who, in 2025-26, scored 73 goals with Bayern and England combined. Since arriving from EPL Tottenham in 2023, the 6-2 striker has 150 goals in 153 appearances for the club while becoming the fastest to 100 in Bundesliga history … Dream on, ManU. Kane, 33, has told friends he has no desire to return to England and close out his career with one BIG, final contract. Then again, he gave no indication how much he thinks he is worth … and Bayern might not want to pay a lot of money for a number of years to a player who is old by soccer standards. ManU is so desperate, it would help Kane break the bank, if it comes to that. Stay tuned.

Until next time ...