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 Wednesday’s equally dire 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 transform form and results. 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 Saturday. Carrick’s reprieve may also 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 wants the job. When he left Newcastle in July a deal was struck on the remaining terms of his contract which means the club would be due compensation.

Eddie Howe is the preferred choice of Manchester United’s director of football, Jason Wilcox. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

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 former Germany and Bayern Munich head coach.