Manchester United are expected to sack head coach Michael Carrick during the international break, after a run of results that has left the club in the Premier League relegation zone.

Reports on Monday night said the club's hierarchy now intend to make a change before United return to action against Liverpool on 22 November. No final decision has been announced, and the club have insisted that the process is still under way.

Carrick, 45, was kept in his job after the 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on 25 October, with the intention of reassessing the situation during this month's international break. That review is now taking place, and the expectation in reporting from BBC Sport is that chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox will recommend a change to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.

Why United are considering a change

The immediate trigger was Sunday's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford. United led, fell behind and then fought back, but the point left them 18th in the Premier League after ten matches.

United have won only one league match this season and have eight points, one point from safety and 11 behind the Champions League places. The draw with Villa means they have made their worst start to a domestic campaign in 40 years.

Carrick said after the Villa match that he expected to continue in the role beyond the international break. The later reporting suggests the club's view has moved since then, although the board have not yet made a final decision, according to BBC Sport.

Who could replace Carrick?

Work on a replacement has already begun, according to The Athletic, whose reporting was carried by TSN and theScore. United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino is reported to be highly regarded at Old Trafford and has emerged as a leading candidate.

Pochettino, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager, signed a contract extension as United States coach in August, but that deal is thought to contain clauses that would allow him to leave for specific high-profile jobs. Multiple sources have told BBC Sport that he is open to a move to Old Trafford.

Former Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and former Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann were sounded out by United in October, and both remain in the frame. Former Chelsea coach Antonio Conte is also keen on the role, according to BBC Sport.

What happens next

United do not play again until the trip to Liverpool on Sunday, 22 November. That gives the club almost two weeks to settle Carrick's future and, if a change is made, to have a new manager in place for the Anfield match.

Any decision will need approval from Ratcliffe and the Glazer family. Until that approval is given and the club announce it, Carrick remains United's head coach, and the reports remain expectations rather than a confirmed dismissal.