Overview
- Manchester United have sacked manager Michael Carrick following a sharp drop in form this season, with the club citing a disappointing start and loss of momentum as the reason for the decision.
- The club statement thanked Carrick as a United legend and credited him with stabilising the team last season while saying the board concluded a change was needed to meet the club’s ambitions.
- Reports say the decision was finalised in a meeting involving senior figures including owner-partner Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada, and sporting director Jason Wilcox.
- United announced they will aim to appoint a permanent replacement in January, and media reports link Mauricio Pochettino as the leading candidate but note his recent contract extension with the United States national team complicates any immediate move.
- The dismissal follows wider squad problems this season, including player criticism of tactics and recruitment, disciplinary issues such as Bruno Fernandes’s exclusion after public comments, and concern that disruption could deepen United’s slide in the table.