Michael Carrick is on the verge of being sacked as Manchester United manager, with the club widely expected to part ways with him before the week is out. The decision follows a dramatic fall from grace just months after he guided the team back to Champions League qualification.
Carrick was appointed in January after Ruben Amorim's departure, overseeing a significant improvement in results after United's inconsistent start to the campaign. His success vindicated the club's decision to appoint him ahead of former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was also a contender for the role.
Solskjaer's endorsement
Despite the competition for the position, Solskjaer chose to highlight Carrick's virtues to the Old Trafford boardroom rather than trying to outmanoeuvre him. Speaking to Norwegian outlet TV2, Solskjaer said: "It was a very special period. Of course it was. It was special in many ways."
"When I spoke to United, I also boasted about Michael. 'If you choose him, you will get a good man,' I said. I think he did the same to me," Solskjaer added. According to Solskjaer, neither candidate treated the position as a life-or-death pursuit, approaching the pitch with measured loyalty rather than relentless self-promotion.
Current struggles
United have won just one of their opening 10 Premier League matches and are 18th in the table. The team produced a memorable comeback in a chaotic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, but the euphoria of Patrick Dorgu's last-gasp leveller didn't last long.
On Monday, it emerged that United were preparing to sack Carrick following a meeting between chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox. On Wednesday, the pair met with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco to finalise Carrick's dismissal.
Potential successor
United now appear to be turning to Mauricio Pochettino, who is currently manager of the United States men's national team. The Argentine, who has long been linked with the Old Trafford hotseat, is reportedly keen to take the job, and it's understood that a deal to appoint him is close to being agreed.
For Carrick, it marks a swift fall from grace just months after guiding the club back to Europe's top table. While Solskjaer was happy to put his former team-mate's interests ahead of his own, Carrick's impending departure serves as a reminder of just how fleeting success can be at Manchester United.
