Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick as head coach, with the club in the Premier League relegation zone after one win in 10 league games. USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino has verbally agreed to take over, Sky Sports reports.
Carrick left less than six months after signing a two-year deal in May. The club confirmed the decision on Thursday morning. In its statement, United said it had reached "the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions." Carrick had turned up for work that morning, as he had each day that week, with his fate in effect sealed, The Guardian reports.
The statement also paid tribute: "Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend."
The decision followed a review led by director of football Jason Wilcox. Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada were at a summit in Monaco with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, where he ratified the decision to sack Carrick following their recommendation, Sky Sports reports. The Guardian adds that the sacking was signed off at a board meeting involving the Glazer family.
Carrick took charge in January, after Ruben Amorim was sacked, and won 12 of his 17 games. That run took United to third place and back into the Champions League. This season has gone far worse: three wins in 15 matches in all competitions. Sky Sports calls it the club's worst-ever Premier League start.
The last game under Carrick was a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday 8 November. United were 2-0 down inside four minutes and 4-2 down early in the second half, then scored twice in stoppage time to salvage a point.
In August, during pre-season, Carrick was asked about further signings after Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos had arrived. He said:
"We want more, we need more."
The season then unravelled. Amad Diallo's ankle injury would rule him out for seven weeks, BBC Sport reports, and Benjamin Sesko was still easing back from a shin problem before the opening match at Hull. The following week United were losing to Ipswich, before Bruno Fernandes completed a hat-trick in a 5-2 win. BBC Sport says United have not won in the Premier League since.
Bruno Fernandes challenged Carrick's strategy after a 4-1 Champions League defeat at Como, and defender Lisandro Martínez criticised Wilcox. BBC Sport also questions recruitment: Carlos Baleba was signed from Brighton for £70m, but did not make his debut until 10 October because of an existing ankle injury.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013, United have appointed eight managers, including Ralf Rangnick, who had a five-month interim spell. Carrick is the second head coach fired by the club in one calendar year, after Amorim in January, which The Guardian says is a first for the club.
Pochettino left Chelsea in May 2024, and four months later he took the USA job, according to The Guardian. Sky Sports News understands he has a £7m release clause in his new USA contract, while The Guardian puts it at about $10m (£7.5m). United would also have to pay more to take his staff.
Other names have been linked. Julian Nagelsmann, Eddie Howe and Antonio Conte were all mentioned, Goal.com reports. Howe has been out of work since leaving Newcastle in July.
Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate, who were part of the coaching set up under Carrick, are also expected to leave, Sky Sports says. As things stand, Pochettino is likely to stay in charge of the USA for their Nations League games against Haiti on Saturday and Wednesday, before starting work at United next Thursday. Discussions with the USA's federation are expected to speed up in the days ahead.
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