Michael Carrick will remain as Manchester United head coach despite a poor start to the season that has seen the club pick up two wins in all competitions. The decision comes after a run of eight games without a victory, which would normally put any manager's position under serious threat at a club of United's stature.
Fan sentiment appears to have been the key factor in sparing Carrick, as supporters directed boos at the players and chants against the club's hierarchy after the head coach left the pitch at Old Trafford on Sunday. The squad cannot all be dismissed, and the club's leadership is expected to stay in place, so Carrick was widely tipped to be the fall guy before the decision was made to keep him in charge.
Ineos's Record on Big Decisions
This is not the first time Ineos has hesitated over a major call. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has shown a willingness to make cut-throat decisions since buying into United, including cost-cutting measures, ticket price hikes and the dismissal of Dan Ashworth just four months after his appointment. However, the same ruthlessness has not been applied to managers.
Erik ten Hag was allowed to continue after leading United to an eighth-place finish in the 2023/24 Premier League season, which was then a Premier League-era low for the club. Despite meeting with Thomas Tuchel in Monaco during the end-of-season review, Ten Hag stayed on following the FA Cup victory over Manchester City.
Costly Delay in Changing Managers
Ten Hag was then backed heavily in the transfer window, with Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt and Manuel Ugarte arriving for a combined fee of £172 million. Two years on, United are actively trying to sell two of those players, one has played 79 minutes in 11 months, and another cannot secure a regular place in the team. Ten Hag was sacked two months after that spending spree.
The failure to replace Ten Hag in the summer set United back, with Ruben Amorim appointed mid-season when he wanted to wait until the summer, and the 2024/25 campaign effectively written off after a Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.
Carrick's Record and Criticism
Carrick's win percentage since his first game in charge, against City on January 17, stood at 70.5%, compared to Arsenal's 68.4%. But two wins in 12 outings this season is described as pitiful, with defeats to Como, newly-promoted Hull, Bournemouth and Fulham, as well as a draw with 10-man Tottenham.
Carrick has faced criticism over selection calls, including Diogo Dalot at left-back while Leny Yoro played at right-back, Mason Mount as a left-winger, and the use of a wing-back system that this United team has repeatedly struggled to adapt to. Bryan Mbeumo has also been played on the wing despite being United's best back-up in Benjamin Sesko's absence.
Carrick has credit in the bank, but it would be wrong to say none of the blame for United's poor start lies at his door. It is clear how much the club means to him, yet it will take far more than passion to turn the season around. He needs to be better, and the players need to be better, or Ineos will be left to rue yet another managerial blunder.
