Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick less than six months after handing him a two-year contract, following a disastrous start to the Premier League season.
According to Sky Sports, United have won just one of their opening 10 league matches, leaving them in the relegation zone with eight points in what has been described as the club’s worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign.
The club’s hierarchy reportedly felt the team’s results and performances had become unacceptable, with Carrick managing just three victories in 15 matches across all competitions this season.
Heavy defeats, including a 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League, a 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth and a 2-0 loss to Chelsea, further intensified pressure on the former United midfielder.
Even a dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa, in which United recovered from a 4-2 deficit, failed to save him.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox reportedly travelled to Monaco to recommend a managerial change to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who approved the decision.
Carrick had previously indicated that he had no intention of walking away, telling Sky Sports: “I expect to move forward” through the international break. However, the club opted to end his tenure.
Carrick took charge in January 2026 following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim and initially enjoyed an impressive run, winning 12 of his first 17 matches.
He guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League and secured a return to the Champions League, earning a new contract until 2028 in May 2026.
Meanwhile, former Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly in line to replace him.
According to Sky Sports, United have reached a verbal agreement with the current United States national team manager, although negotiations with US Soccer are still required to secure his release.
Pochettino’s contract reportedly contains a release clause worth approximately Sh1 billion (£7 million).
The Argentine has previously been considered for the United job on three occasions and now appears close to finally taking charge at Old Trafford.
Carrick’s dismissal adds to United’s growing list of managerial casualties since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.
The club has since appointed David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, Erik ten Hag and Amorim, with none managing to restore the consistency associated with Ferguson’s era.
Ten Hag was dismissed in October 2024 after winning just four of his opening 14 matches, while Amorim was sacked in January 2026 after recording 24 victories in 63 matches.
Former United defender Gary Neville has questioned the club’s repeated managerial changes, arguing that replacing coaches has failed to address its deeper problems.
“You can keep changing the manager and thinking that’s going to be the answer. But this has been proven now over 12 years, that’s not the answer,” Neville said.