Manchester United have confirmed the sacking of head coach Michael Carrick on Thursday, bringing his tenure at the club to an end.
Carrick was initially appointed on an interim basis and led United to a return to the Champions League. In May, he was handed the job on a permanent basis. After ten Premier League matches, United sit in the relegation zone and came close to sacking Carrick last month following heavy defeats to Como and Bournemouth.
Crisis talks and final games
Crisis talks at Carrington ended with Carrick being given a stay of execution. He was given three games to show that things were improving. Despite a thrilling win over Roma and a chaotic draw with Aston Villa, the club's hierarchy decided to sack him on Thursday.
In a statement, United said: "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."
Final week in charge
Carrick's final week began with a pre-match press conference ahead of the clash with Aston Villa, where he warned that things would not improve 'in the blink of an eye'. On Sunday, United drew 4-4 with Villa, with Carrick greeting his players after the game, including Patrick Dorgu, who scored the late equaliser, before applauding the Stretford End one final time.
On Tuesday, Carrick returned to Carrington in his training gear to work with players who had not been called up for international duty.
