Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick as their head coach. The official confirmation comes days after the club's 4-4 draw against Aston Villa in the Premier League. Carrick is now the fourth full-time manager in the last five years, after Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim, to be shown the door.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down, Carrick is the 11th manager (including both full-time and caretaker) to be shown the door by United in the last 13 years.
“Manchester United can confirm that Michael Carrick has departed his role as men’s first-team head coach,” the club said in an official statement,
“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. After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions.
Michael is, and always will be, a Manchester United legend. Just as he did as a player, he has conducted himself with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism throughout his time back with the club. His leadership and achievements last season will always be fondly remembered.
The club intends to appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible.”
{{/usCountry}}The club intends to appoint a permanent successor as quickly as possible.”
{{/usCountry}}Signs of sacking were already ominous
The signs were already ominous for Carrick heading into the Premier League match against Aston Villa. In the Premier League this season, they have won only one out of the 10 games so far, and with 8 points they sit in the relegation zone at 18th.There were cracks beginning to appear within the squad as well. After the loss to Como in the UEFA Champions League, United captain Bruno Fernandes publicly criticised Carrick's tactics, questioning the defensive ploy. This, in turn, led the United manager to drop Fernandes for the Premier League match against Bournemouth the following weekend.
After a Premier League match against Bournemouth, where United lost 1-4 was over, Old Trafford gave a standing reception to Carrick, breaking out into chants of 'It's Carrick, you know, it's hard to believe it's not Scholes, it's Carrick, you know.'
It is worth mentioning that this chant dates back to 2012-13, around six years after Carrick had joined United from Tottenham Hotspur. Carrick was dictating play for Sir Alex Ferguson's side and had become a club favourite. Hence, it was no surprise to see United supporters singing this tune aloud, probably recognising what was in store for their club legend post that defeat.
Once Carrick made his way to the tunnel, the atmosphere changed as the United players were booed off the pitch. After the game, the manager had himself hinted at an uncertain future, saying, “What it looks like, what is next - I really don't know. But I'll always do what's best for this football club.”
When asked about the post-match reaction where he led his players around the park, Carrick said, “It wasn't a farewell from me.”
Carrick's record as manager
Carrick first returned to Old Trafford as interim manager, which was his second stint in a caretaker role, and he took on the role after the dismissal of Ruben Amorim.
When Carrick took over as the manager mid-season in the 2025-26 edition, he guided the club to a third-place finish, securing the Champions League qualification. This, in turn, helped him earn a permanent contract through June 2028.
However, the start of the 2026-27 season is where things quickly went downhill.