Manchester United have dismissed Michael Carrick after a poor start to the season.
United have dismissed Michael Carrick with the club in the relegation zone, while Mauricio Pochettino reportedly nears an agreement to take over.
Manchester United sack Carrick after winning just one of their opening 10 Premier League matches this season. The club dismissed the head coach less than six months after awarding him a two-year contract.
United sit in the relegation zone with eight points, while their struggles extend beyond the league. Carrick oversaw only three victories in 15 matches across all competitions this season.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox reportedly travelled to Monaco to recommend a change. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe then approved the decision to dismiss the former United midfielder.
United sack Carrick after early promise fades
Carrick took charge in January 2026 after United dismissed Ruben Amorim, winning 12 of his first 17 matches. He also guided the team to third place in the Premier League, securing a Champions League return.
That turnaround earned him a contract until 2028 in May 2026. However, heavy defeats this season increased pressure on the coach as United struggled for results.
Those setbacks included a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como and a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth. United also lost 2-0 to Chelsea during the troubled run.
Even a comeback from 4-2 down to draw 4-4 against Aston Villa could not save Carrick’s job. He had expected to continue through the international break, but the club chose to end his tenure.
Pochettino emerges as potential replacement
Meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly in line to replace Carrick after reaching a verbal agreement with United. The Argentine currently manages the United States national team, so United still need to negotiate his release with US Soccer.
His contract reportedly includes a release clause worth approximately Sh1 billion. The former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager has previously been considered for the United role on three occasions.
Carrick’s departure also extends United’s succession of managerial changes since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. The club dismissed Erik ten Hag in October 2024 after four wins in his opening 14 matches. Amorim then departed in January 2026 after recording 24 victories in 63 games.
However, former United defender Gary Neville has questioned the repeated changes. He argued that replacing managers over 12 years had failed to solve the club’s deeper problems.
