Manchester United sacked manager Michael Carrick on Thursday after their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign, with USA boss Mauricio Pochettino widely expected to replace him. Former United midfielder Carrick led the team to an impressive third-place finish last season but they have taken just eight points from 10 games in the current campaign and are mired in the relegation zone.
“Manchester United can confirm that Michael Carrick has departed his role as men’s first-team head coach,” the club said in a statement.
Manchester United sacked manager Michael Carrick on Thursday after their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign, with USA boss Mauricio Pochettino widely expected to replace him.
Pochettino has extensive experience of the Premier League following spells in charge of Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea, and he also coached Paris Saint-Germain. “Michael rejoined the club in January and guided the team to a third-placed Premier League finish by winning 12 out of the remaining 17 games of the 2025/26 season, accumulating the highest points tally in the league during that period. Carrick’s final game in charge was a chaotic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, after which he stressed he would not walk away. Carrick has struggled to maintain discipline among his squad, dropping captain Bruno Fernandes after he criticised his manager’s tactics during a 4-1 thrashing at Champions League debutants Como. Pochettino would have an enormous task on his hands to revive a club that has never recovered from the departure of Alex Ferguson 13 years ago, with United yet to win a Premier League title since the retirement of the outstanding Scottish manager.
