Manchester United close in on sacking under-fire Carrick

Manchester United are increasingly expected to part company with head coach Michael Carrick after a disastrous start to the 2026/27 Premier League campaign, with reports suggesting the club could make a decision before their next match against Liverpool.

According to The Athletic, United have begun exploring potential replacements, and several sources within the club expect Carrick to leave before the trip to Anfield on November 22.

However, the club has stressed that no final decision has been made and that nothing is settled.

The Guardian has also reported that United are moving towards dismissing the 45-year-old, following an internal review led by director of football Jason Wilcox.

Wilcox has been consulting chief executive Omar Berrada before making a recommendation to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who oversees the club’s sporting operations.

Carrick’s position has come under intense scrutiny after United collected just eight points from their opening 10 league matches.

They sit 18th in the table, inside the relegation zone, with one win, five draws and four defeats.

Their latest setback was a dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United twice came from two goals behind to rescue a point, but the result did little to ease the pressure on their manager, with defensive mistakes and an inability to protect leads continuing to raise concerns.

The Guardian reported that United had given Carrick three matches against Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa to improve results after a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth.

The team lost to Chelsea, beat Roma and drew with Villa, a sequence that appears to have failed to convince the club’s decision-makers.

Carrick had previously earned credit for his work after taking charge following Ruben Amorim’s departure.

His appointment on a longer-term basis was seen as an opportunity to restore stability, but United’s current league position has intensified questions about the direction of the team.

The club is understood to have considered several possible successors.

The Athletic and other reports have mentioned Mauricio Pochettino and Eddie Howe among the names being discussed, although no appointment has been confirmed.

Sky Sports had earlier reported that United were considering their options but had not held direct talks with alternative candidates.

Carrick, meanwhile, has publicly maintained that he expects to continue in the role. After the draw with Villa, he said he was focused on moving forward and acknowledged that United needed to win more matches.

United’s next league fixture is a visit to Liverpool on November 22, after the international break.