Manchester United have officially sacked Michael Carrick as manager. The former Red Devils midfielder oversaw the club's worst start to a season in four decades, claiming just one Premier League victory from 10 matches.
He leaves them in the relegation zone with over a quarter of the season gone, having claimed only eight points so far. They had also only won two of their five games in the Carabao Cup and Champions League.
Carrick's Exit Confirmed
United are expected to confirm Carrick's exit this morning (Thursday) with an official statement. He turned up to Carrington to oversee training and, after a meeting with Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada, was axed.
Carrick was handed the manager's job on a permanent basis in the summer, earning a two-year contract after his impressive interim spell in charge.
He was drafted in to succeed Ruben Amorim at the end of last season and guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, securing Champions League qualification.
Rapid Decline
However, after he was handed the full-time job, things began to unravel very quickly, with United losing to newly promoted Hull City on the opening weekend of the season.
They managed to beat Ipswich Town in a topsy-turvy game in their next outing, but haven't claimed maximum points in the Premier League since then.
In the Champions League, United began with a one-sided victory over minnows Sabah before suffering heavy defeats to Atletico Madrid and Como. They pulled off a comeback win over Roma in their latest European fixture last week.
Carrick's short spell in charge was also characterised by player discontent, with Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes both hitting out in explosive media interviews.
Pochettino Set to Take Over
Mauricio Pochettino is set to replace Carrick. He remains contracted to the United States national team until 2030 but can be bought out of his deal thanks to a £7million release clause.
The Argentine has already reached an agreement with United about the contract he will take at Old Trafford and feels the role is too big to turn down. Pochettino has never won a trophy in England but did well with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea.
The likes of Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte had also been linked with the United job in recent weeks before Pochettino emerged as the frontrunner.
