Manchester United Fires Michael Carrick as Manager amid Rumors Linking M…

Relegation zone after ten matches

United sit 18th in the 20-team standings with eight points from ten matches — one win, five draws and four defeats. The lone league victory came against newly promoted Ipswich Town in August, a 5-2 home win. A 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, secured by stoppage-time goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu, left the team in the bottom three heading into the international break.

The club's position is its lowest after ten top-flight games since the 1986-87 season. Heavy defeats include a 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, a 2-0 reverse at Chelsea and a 4-1 Champions League loss at Como.

Pochettino close to agreement

Mauricio Pochettino, currently the United States men's national team coach, is reported to be close to succeeding Carrick. Sky Sports reported Wednesday that United had reached an agreement in principle with the 54-year-old Argentine, who has extensive Premier League experience with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea. He led Tottenham to four consecutive top-four finishes, a runners-up spot in 2016-17 and the 2019 Champions League final.

Pochettino took charge of the U.S. In October 2024 and guided the team to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, where they lost 4-1 to Belgium in Seattle on 6 July. He is under contract with U.S. Soccer through the 2030 World Cup. The Athletic reported that United would need to trigger a $10 million buyout clause; DaveOCKOP noted Pochettino signed a contract extension with the U.S. Three months ago that includes such a clause, and that a framework has been agreed with U.S. Soccer.

Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann were also reported to have admirers at the club, according to The Athletic.

Carrick's brief tenure

Carrick, 45, returned to United as interim head coach in January 2026 following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, who had been in charge for about 14 months. The former United midfielder won 11 of his first 16 matches and guided the club to a third-place Premier League finish and Champions League qualification. That earned him a permanent appointment in May on a contract running until 2028.

Across all competitions, Carrick oversaw 32 matches with 15 victories, eight draws and nine defeats. This season the team managed just three wins in all competitions, an eight-game winless run in the league and elimination from the English League Cup.

Ownership under scrutiny

The firing marks the eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Champions League-winning coaches Louis van Gaal and José Mourinho won cups but were ousted after failing to mount serious title challenges. Highly rated coaches Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim also fell short, as did former players Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Carrick.

Fans staged protests against the owners during the Villa game. The Manchester United Supporters' Trust said: It is time for the owners to explain themselves and show some accountability. The trust added that responsibility for United's problems lies with the ownership, citing the Glazers' debt-funded takeover and INEOS's unfulfilled promises of sporting excellence. Pressure is also mounting on chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.

Next steps

United said it intends to appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible. Pochettino is expected to take charge for the trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in 13 days' time. Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford, who has scored seven career goals against Liverpool, is targeting a return for that match after a new treatment programme for a hip and groin injury sustained at the World Cup and aggravated in October.