Michael Carrick ranks fifth among Manchester United's worst-ever managers, according to a list compiled after the club's 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth left them 16th in the Premier League table.
The result on Sunday extended a run that has seen United go more than two months without a domestic win by the time they face Chelsea on Saturday. The team are at genuine risk of relegation unless things improve, prompting an assessment of where Carrick stands among the club's past bosses.
Half a Century of High Standards
The bar for United managers is set at a different level to most other clubs. Half a century of the club's history is taken up by the brilliance of Matt Busby and Alex Ferguson, leaving fewer disappointments to choose from. Even Tommy Docherty, who relegated United in the 1970s, left with a positive reputation among a chunk of the support after turning things around.
The list points to how much of United's misery comes from the post-Ferguson era.
The Six Worst Managers
6. Frank O'Farrell - Replacing the legendary Busby was always going to be a thankless task. Wilf McGuinness gave it a go before Busby returned as caretaker, and then it was time for O'Farrell, whose tenure was a frustrating one. Eighteen months might be longer than many managers last today, but at the time it was particularly short, and his spell in charge also brought about the beginning of the end for George Best at Old Trafford.
5. Michael Carrick - Excluding Carrick's caretaker stint and only looking at this season, he might be the worst. However, the run to third place which got him the job to begin with must be considered, even if the start to the 2026/27 season has set alarm bells ringing.
4. Ralf Rangnick - Considering interim spells, Rangnick belongs here. He took the club from seventh to sixth, but there was chaos off the pitch as he made the cardinal error of telling those above him what they were doing wrong. As such, a planned move upstairs was cancelled, costing United precious time and points.
3. David Moyes - United might settle for seventh place this season given how poorly things have started, but context matters. Moyes took over a title-winning squad and made them look nowhere near repeating the feat, and he did it in less than a year.
2. Ruben Amorim - It is hard not to weigh expectation against reality here. Amorim joined off the back of an eye-catching demolition of Manchester City as Sporting CP boss but proceeded to lead United to by far their worst-ever Premier League finish. Yes, there was a Europa League final in the mix, but his stubbornness made him look incapable of turning things around in any serious manner.
