Staff Writer
Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick. In a statement on Thursday, 12 November 2026, the club confirmed that Carrick "has departed his role as men's first-team head coach."
The decision comes with United in serious trouble in the Premier League, just months after Carrick led them back into the top three.
What the club said
United said the decision followed "a disappointing start to the season." According to the statement, the club concluded that "a change is necessary" to reach its goals.
The club thanked Carrick for guiding the team to a third-place Premier League finish in 2025-26. It also said it intends to name a permanent successor as quickly as possible.
How bad has it been?
The numbers explain why United acted:
- Premier League: 1 win, 5 draws and 4 losses from 10 games, for 8 points. That leaves United 18th, in the relegation zone, as Al Jazeera reports.
- All competitions: 3 wins from 15 matches this season.
- Painful defeats: a 2-0 loss at Hull on the opening day, a 3-2 League Cup exit to Brighton, a 4-1 home defeat to Como in the Champions League and a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.
His last match in charge was a dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford.
From rescue act to the exit door
Carrick's story at United moved fast. The former United midfielder, now 45, first took charge as interim coach after Ruben Amorim was sacked in January 2026. His first game was a 2-0 win over Manchester City.
What followed was a strong run. ESPN reports that United won 12 of their last 17 games to finish third. That earned Carrick the job permanently in May, on a two-year contract.
The new season went badly almost from the start. ESPN reports that Carrick met club chief executive Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox at the Carrington training ground on Thursday before the decision was confirmed.
Who comes next?
United have not named a replacement or an interim coach.
Mauricio Pochettino, currently head coach of the United States men's national team, is the strong favourite. ESPN reports that United are close to an agreement with him and have contacted the U.S. Soccer Federation about his contract. ESPN's sources expect him to still coach the USA in their upcoming Nations League games against Haiti before any move.
None of this has been confirmed by United, Pochettino or U.S. Soccer.
What it means
United have now moved on from another head coach in less than a year. The pressure on the club's leadership, whose football operations are run by Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS, will keep growing. Whoever comes in inherits a talented but fragile squad that is fighting at the wrong end of the table while also competing in Europe.
For fans across Nigeria and Africa, where United have one of their biggest followings, the next few weeks will decide whether this season can still be rescued.
What to watch next
- United's official announcement of a new head coach, and whether it is Pochettino.
- Who takes charge for the trip to Liverpool on 22 November.
- Whether United can climb out of the relegation zone before the busy December fixture period.
Sources: ESPN; Al Jazeera