Manchester United sack Michael Carrick as head coach
Manchester United dismissed head coach Michael Carrick following a dismal start to the Premier League season that left the club in the relegation zone.
Manchester United sacked head coach Michael Carrick after a disastrous start to the season left the club languishing in the Premier League relegation zone.
The decision was finalized during a summit in Monaco involving minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada, and director of football Jason Wilcox, according to reporting by Radioroyal. United officials ultimately signed off on the dismissal after a series of meetings, with the board concluding that a change was unavoidable.
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Carrick arrived at the training ground on Thursday morning and departed shortly after being informed of his dismissal, as reported by the Daily Mail. The club released a 142-word statement confirming the exit, acknowledging his status as a club legend and praising his professionalism following his appointment in January 2026, when he initially took over on an interim basis following the departure of Ruben Amorim.
During that initial caretaker spell, Carrick won 12 of his remaining 17 league matches to guide the team to a third-place finish and a return to the Champions League, earning a permanent contract running until 2028. However, the subsequent campaign unravelled quickly. United managed only three wins in their opening 15 matches across all competitions, dropping to 18th in the Premier League table with eight points from their first 10 fixtures—representing the club's worst start to a season in four decades, as detailed by Sportsmole.
The final straw for the hierarchy followed a turbulent 4-4 draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, a match where United fell two goals behind inside the opening four minutes before salvaging a point late in stoppage time. That defensive frailty compounded mounting frustration over the club's trajectory.
The manner of the dismissal drew sharp criticism from former players and pundits. Writing on social media, former defender Rio Ferdinand compared the club's official announcement to text generated by artificial intelligence and called for leadership figures to front up publicly. Meanwhile, Gary Neville, speaking on The Overlap podcast via Radioroyal, labelled the handling of the situation clumsy and classless, noting that leaving a manager in limbo while executives met in Monaco fell below acceptable standards.
Bollywood actor Vikrant Massey also weighed in online, describing the decision as a betrayal of the club's traditions, according to Moneycontrol.
| Metric / Detail | Ruben Amorim | Michael Carrick | Mauricio Pochettino (Incoming) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointment Period | November 2024 – January 2026 | January 2026 – November 2026 | Expected November 2026 |
| Total Games in Charge | Not specified in text | 32 matches (all competitions) | Pending appointment |
| Estimated Compensation / Release Cost | £11m appointment / £8.2m sacking | £5m estimated payoff (with staff) | $10m (£7.4m) release clause |
The dismissal places United in the market for another permanent manager, with reports indicating that terms have been verbally agreed with USA national team coach Mauricio Pochettino, according to Shafaq and CBS Sports. Securing the Argentine will require United to trigger a release clause in his contract with US Soccer.
What to watch next
- Finalization of compensation talks and the formal announcement of Mauricio Pochettino as head coach.
- The resolution of negotiations regarding the release of Pochettino's backroom coaching staff from their international duties.
- Manchester United's return to competitive action away against Liverpool at Anfield following the conclusion of the international break.
