Michael Carrick is facing mounting pressure at Manchester United after a poor start to the season, with the club's history of managerial turmoil casting a shadow over his position. The former United midfielder signed a deal until 2028 with the option of a further year after leading the club to Champions League qualification last season.
Carrick's interim appointment initially saw him guide United to 12 wins in their last 17 Premier League games. However, the honeymoon period has ended after just one win in their opening five fixtures, alongside a shock EFL Cup exit against Brighton earlier this month.
Carrick's Pressure Mounts
The 45-year-old will no doubt be feeling the pressure of the hot seat, but club bosses will surely be keen to bypass the mayhem that existed in the previous situations of Ruben Amorim and Erik ten Hag.
Amorim is now at the helm of AC Milan after being sacked from United in January 2026, ending his tumultuous 14-month reign. He began his second season under instant pressure, having guided United to a record-low 15th-place finish in the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign.
Previous Crisis Meetings
The club went without an away win until their 2-1 victory over Manchester City in December, while their embarrassing exit from the Carabao Cup at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town earlier that season led to intense speculation over Amorim's position.
Reports at the time suggested club executives had held discussions with key United players to get a sense of the mood in the dressing room. Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox were believed to have consulted captain Bruno Fernandes, among others, in their aim to gain better insight into the squad's views.
Ten Hag's Sacking
The situation within United was similar to the circumstances behind the seven-hour meeting between Ten Hag and his former bosses in October 2024, with the Dutchman's firing coming later that month.
The discussions were held at Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Knightsbridge offices in London, with co-owner Joel Glazer, chief executive Berrada, then-sporting director Dan Ashworth, and director of football Wilcox all meeting to confer over the state of United. Board member Jean-Claude Blanc, chief operating officer Collette Roche and chief financial officer Roger Bell were all understood to have been present for the conference.
While a meeting of such magnitude doesn't seem to be on the horizon when it comes to Carrick's position, the United boss must turn his side's fortunes around and fast to prevent such a situation. United currently sit 12th in the league and face fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur at home in their first game following the end of the international break. Over the next month, fixtures against Leeds United, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Aston Villa will further test the resolve of Carrick's squad.
