Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick, the club confirmed on Thursday, ending a reign that began with promise but unravelled into the club’s worst start to a Premier League season in four decades. The announcement came after chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox met minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday, leaving United 18th in the table with one win from 10 league matches. USA national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino is widely expected to succeed Carrick, with US Soccer understood to be prepared for his departure.
The club announced Carrick's departure in a statement on Thursday, saying it had come to the “extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary”. Carrick, 45, was informed of the decision after arriving at United’s Carrington training ground in the morning, and left shortly after 10am.
Berrada and Wilcox travelled to Monaco earlier this week for a pre-planned meeting with Ratcliffe, where Carrick’s future was a central topic. Ratcliffe is based in Monaco, where his company Ineos has offices. Sources told BBC Sport the meeting was already in the diary and not called specifically to discuss Carrick, but that the recommendation from Berrada and Wilcox was that he be dismissed. The Glazer family, who remain majority owners, were also to be consulted. Sources said Ratcliffe remains supportive of Berrada and Wilcox, despite fan discontent.
Carrick was appointed interim head coach in January after Ruben Amorim’s dismissal and was given a two-year contract in May after guiding United to a third-place Premier League finish, winning 12 of the final 17 games. He had only been permanent head coach for a matter of months when the current season unravelled.
United have won just three of their 15 matches across all competitions this season. Their sole league victory came against newly promoted Ipswich in August. Since then, they have endured four defeats and five draws, including a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth, a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como, and last Sunday’s chaotic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa. United are in 18th place with eight points from 10 games, their worst start to a top-flight season since 1986-87.
In a statement released on Thursday, the club said: “Manchester United can confirm that Michael Carrick has departed his role as men's first-team head coach. After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions. Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend. Just as he did as a player, he has conducted himself with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism throughout his time back with the club.” The club said it intends to “appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible”.
Attention has turned to Pochettino, who signed a contract extension with the US national team in August. The 54-year-old is understood to be keen on the job and has spoken to United about the role on multiple occasions in the past, including in 2022 when the club chose Erik ten Hag. A release clause worth $10m (£7.5m) is reportedly in place for specific high-profile roles. US Soccer confirmed media availability with players scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled in observance of Veterans Day, removing the possibility of questions about Pochettino’s future. The US have a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti on 14 and 18 November.
Other candidates who have been linked with the role include former Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, ex-Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, and former Chelsea and Napoli coach Antonio Conte. United’s next match is a Premier League trip to Liverpool on 22 November.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Manchester United are in the relegation zone for the first time in nearly 40 years, a crisis that puts the club's commercial appeal and Champions League qualification at immediate risk.
- The sacking is the club’s third mid-season managerial change in as many years, raising questions about the long-term decision-making of Ratcliffe, Berrada and Wilcox.
- Pochettino’s potential arrival would install a high-profile, proven Premier League manager at a moment of intense scrutiny, with a difficult run of fixtures looming.
Background
Manchester United were taken over in part by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who bought a 28.94% stake in the club in early 2024. The club have not won the Premier League since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Since then, they have cycled through managers including David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. Carrick, a former United midfielder who also captained the club, was brought in as interim head coach in January 2026 after Amorim’s sacking and was appointed permanently in May after a strong finish to the season. The current season, however, has been disastrous, with the club winning only three of 15 matches in all competitions and sitting second-bottom in the league. Pochettino, who previously managed Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain, took over the US national team in September 2024 and guided them to the 2026 World Cup last 16 before extending his contract.
Key Perspectives
Michael Carrick (after the Villa draw): “I'm pretty clear where we need to go and how we need to get there. Obviously some of the boys will be flying off around the world and different things, and the group will be split for 10 days or so. But as a normal international week is, you know, we'll have some training. We'll have one or two days off, but not too much. But we'll train, and we'll get ready for the next game.”
Manchester United club statement: “After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions.”
Sources (quoted by BBC Sport): Ratcliffe remains supportive of Berrada and Wilcox, despite fan discontent; sources are adamant he still retains faith in the pair. It is understood Berrada and Wilcox, who were at all three recent matches, have concluded a change of coach is required.
What to Watch
- Whether United confirm Pochettino’s appointment before the trip to Liverpool on 22 November, and whether he will be in the dugout for that match.
- The outcome of the US’s Nations League quarter-final against Haiti, which may delay or accelerate Pochettino’s move.
- Whether the decision to sack Carrick prompts any further fallout among the squad or staff, particularly given earlier public criticism from players including Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedCarrick’s future will be decided at a meeting in Monaco on Wednesday.BBC News: “Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick's future will be decided at a meeting attended by owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and executives Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox in Monaco on Wednesday.”
- SupportedBerrada and Wilcox are expected to recommend to Ratcliffe and the Glazer family that Carrick be sacked.BBC News: “BBC Sport reported on Monday there was a growing expectation chief executive Berrada and director of football Wilcox would recommend to minority owner Ratcliffe and the Glazer family that Carrick be sacked.”
- SupportedPochettino has emerged as a leading contender to take over.BBC News: “Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a leading contender and is known to be keen on the job.”
- SupportedBerrada and Wilcox met Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday.RTÉ News: “Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox held talks with United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday, with Carrick's future under discussion, but no outcome has yet been announced.”
- SupportedUS Soccer cancelled media access scheduled for Wednesday in observance of Veterans Day.RTÉ News: “US Soccer confirmed planned media access with players scheduled for Wednesday had been cancelled in observance of Veterans Day”
- SupportedRTÉ reported that United were preparing to recruit Pochettino if Carrick was dismissed.RTÉ News: “It's understood plans are afoot at United to recruit the Argentinian should current head coach Michael Carrick, as expected, be dismissed”
- SupportedPochettino is understood to be interested in the Old Trafford job.RTÉ News: “Pochettino is understood to be interested in the Old Trafford post, having also been linked with the vacancy when it has arisen in the past.”
- SupportedThe Monaco meeting was pre-planned and was not arranged specifically to discuss Carrick’s future.BBC News: “Wednesday's meeting in Monaco, which is where Ratcliffe is based, was already planned and has not been organised to strictly discuss Carrick's future.”
- SupportedA decision on the manager may not be announced until Thursday.BBC News: “Berrada and Wilcox will present their recommendation, though the Glazers will also be consulted, and a decision on the manager may not be announced until Thursday.”
- SupportedPochettino signed an extension to his contract as USA coach in August.BBC News: “Pochettino signed an extension to his contract as USA coach in August.”
- SupportedUnited have one victory in 10 Premier League matches, their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1986-87.BBC News: “With one victory in 10 Premier League matches, United have made their worst start to a top-flight campaign since the 1986-87 season.”
- SupportedUnited have conceded 30 goals in 15 games across all competitions.BBC News: “United have conceded 30 goals in their 15 games in all competitions this season”