Manchester United have sacked manager Michael Carrick, the Premier League club confirmed in a statement, amid a torrid time for the global football giants, who find themselves in the league’s relegation zone. Carrick’s departure, which had been imminent after United made their worst start to the English top flight in 40 years, was announced on Thursday by the club, which said it would “appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible”. Pochettino – whose release from the contract extension he signed as USA head coach has reportedly been arranged – would become the eighth permanent man in charge at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in May 2013 after more than 26 years in the job.
United’s statement termed Carrick a club legend. United needed a stoppage-time equaliser to eke out a point against 10th-placed Villa, but it was not enough to lift them out of the Premier League’s relegation zone. The Red Devils briefly dropped to the bottom of the table before results elsewhere in the league took them back to 18th place with eight points from their 10 games this season.
Carrick, who was handed the United job on an interim basis in January, knew his managerial position was under threat following a series of disappointing results in recent weeks. United have endured four losses and five draws, with their solitary win coming against Ipswich Town in late August. They were also knocked out of the English League Cup in the third round, and have made an unconvincing start in their Champions League campaign, with two wins and as many losses.
Overall, United have won only three times in 15 games across all competitions this season. Carrick’s sacking marks the end of a rollercoaster reign at the club. The former United midfielder, who also captained the club in his final season as a player, took over from the sacked Ruben Amorim last term, when the team were seventh, but lifted them to a third-place finish and secured Champions League qualification at the end of the 2025-26 season.
The players looked like a better, more exciting version of themselves under Carrick when he first took over, but fans’ optimism vanished when the revival did not continue into the current campaign. United’s defeat to newly-promoted Hull City in their opening match of the league season marked an embarrassing start for the former champions. What followed was further humiliation on and off the field, with a dressing room rift damaging Carrick’s image, and the club’s hierarchy losing faith in one of their own.
British media have linked several high-profile managers to the job. Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe and ex-Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann were among the frontrunners, but USA men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino has seemingly overtaken both as favourite. Pochettino, who previously took charge of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the English top flight, has been widely favoured by US and British media.
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