Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick after less than six months as permanent head coach, and say they have an agreement with USA boss Mauricio Pochettino to take over.
United confirmed on Thursday that Carrick had left his role as men's first-team head coach. In a club statement, the Old Trafford side said it had reached the "extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions" and intended to appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible.
The end came after Sunday's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa, when United went 2-0 down inside four minutes and 4-2 down early in the second half before coming back to draw. A similar turnaround had beaten Roma in the Champions League the previous Tuesday.
United have one win from 10 Premier League games and sit in the relegation zone. Sky Sports said their opening to a Premier League campaign had been their poorest, and their worst start to a season in 40 years.
Set to replace him is Pochettino, who manages the USA. United say an agreement is in place, and Sky Sports News understands the former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager has a £7m release clause in his recently signed contract with the USA. He is expected to stay with the national side for Nations League matches against Haiti on Saturday and Wednesday before starting work at United next Thursday.
Carrick's win rate fell from 70 per cent to 20 per cent
After Ruben Amorim was sacked earlier that campaign, Carrick first took charge in January 2026 on a deal to the end of the season. That spell brought 12 wins in 17 matches, a 70.1 per cent win rate, third place in the Premier League and qualification for the Champions League. United said they earned more points than any other team in the league over that spell. Carrick was nominated for Premier League Manager of the Season.
How Carrick's record changed
Last season
Interim spell from January 2026
70.1 per cent
- 12 wins in 17 matches
- Third place in the Premier League
- Return to the Champions League
This season
2026/27 campaign
20 per cent
- Three wins in 15 matches
- One win in 10 league games
- Third in the top flight? No: relegation zone
This campaign has been different. Three wins in 15 matches amount to a 20 per cent rate, though the Premier League figure counts a different set of games. Carrick leaves with 15 wins from 32 matches, a rate of 46.9 per cent. Among permanent United managers since Ferguson retired, only Amorim's record is worse.
Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend
The two-year contract Carrick signed on 22 May was due to run to 2028. He lasted less than six months of it.
Eight permanent managers in 13 years
The club are seeking their eighth permanent head coach since Ferguson retired in 2013. Carrick was the seventh permanent manager of that era, during which United have played 731 games. Ralf Rangnick served as an interim boss, while Ryan Giggs, Carrick himself, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Darren Fletcher each took charge as caretakers.
Amorim, Carrick's predecessor, was sacked on 5 January 2026 after 14 months in charge, with 24 wins from 63 games.
Ferguson spent 27 years at Old Trafford, winning 26 major trophies and taking charge of 1,500 games. Since then, Jose Mourinho has recorded the highest win percentage among the permanent managers and won more trophies than any of them during that period.
Sky Sports reported that minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe ratified the decision at a summit in Monaco, following advice from chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox. Carrick took training in Manchester on Wednesday, then left the training ground shortly before the club's statement on Thursday morning.
A squad the hierarchy rates higher than its results
United's hierarchy, including Wilcox and Berrada, believe the squad is far stronger than its results and performances indicate. Jonny Evans and Jonathan Woodgate, who were part of Carrick's coaching set-up, are also expected to leave.
A pundit quoted by Sky Sports said the club's habit of changing managers has now been tested for more than a decade.
You can keep changing the manager and thinking that's going to be the answer. But this has been proven now over 12 years, that's not the answer.
The same commentator went through the list of appointments at the club.
It's rinse and repeat. Ruben Amorim, Erik ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Carrick, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, David Moyes, Ralf Rangnick - some of them are world-class managers who have had success. There are a lot of promising young managers there, ex-players who know the club as well.
The failures stem from weak performance and recruitment departments, and leadership that does not run strong through the club, the pundit said.
None of it has worked because if you've got a poor performance department, poor recruitment department, you've not got leadership that is strong right through the spine of the football club you will fail.
Liverpool away comes next
Pochettino had been considered for the United job on three previous occasions. United travel to Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday 22 November, then play Sporting away in the Champions League on Wednesday 25 November and Brentford at home on Saturday 28 November.
- January 2026Interim charge
Carrick takes the job until the end of the season after Ruben Amorim is sacked.
- 22 MayPermanent deal
He signs a two-year contract running to 2028.
- 12 NovemberSacked
United confirm his departure in a statement on Thursday morning.
- Next ThursdayPochettino due
Expected at United after the USA's Nations League matches.
What we know
- Carrick left his role on Thursday 12 November 2026.
- United say an agreement is in place with Mauricio Pochettino.
- United have one win from 10 Premier League games this season.
Still unclear
- When Pochettino's appointment will be officially confirmed.
- Who will manage United for the Liverpool match on 22 November.
- Whether the USA's £7m release clause will be paid.
