Manchester United appears increasingly likely to dismiss head coach Michael Carrick following a catastrophic beginning to the domestic campaign. According to BBC Sport, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are expected to recommend Carrick's removal to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family. The club had opted to retain Carrick after a 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth on 25 October, intending to reassess during the international break, but the situation has deteriorated markedly since then.
The 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday left United languishing in 18th place, having recorded their worst start to a domestic season in four decades. With just one victory in 10 Premier League matches, the club sits one point above bottom-placed Crystal Palace. Only Crystal Palace and Ipswich have conceded more than the 19 goals United have shipped in the league this season.
Carrick, who signed a two-year contract after guiding United to third place during an interim spell last season, has seen his tenure unravel with remarkable speed. The deterioration began even before the season-opening fixture at Hull, when injuries to key attacking personnel forced tactical compromises that would plague the team throughout the campaign.
How did Carrick's position collapse so quickly?
The 48 hours preceding United's season opener proved pivotal. Benjamin Sesko was managing a shin injury from the previous campaign, and Amad Diallo sustained an ankle injury that sidelined him for seven weeks. This forced Carrick to deploy Bryan Mbeumo on the right wing and turn to Matheus Cunha as a striking alternative. Cunha's tendency to drop deep into spaces occupied by captain Bruno Fernandes neutralised United's attacking shape on a day when the team appeared unprepared for the physical demands of newly promoted Hull.
The opening match set a troubling pattern. The following week, United fell behind to another newly promoted side, Ipswich, before an undeserved equaliser from Fernandes—who had just been crowned PFA Player of the Year for 2025-26—sparked a 5-2 victory. However, Fernandes has managed just one league goal since, a penalty against Villa.
A trip to Everton followed, where United twice led but conceded a long-range strike from Ainsley Maitland-Niles deep into stoppage time. When asked about his confidence in the team's ability to respond to a poor start, Carrick dismissed concerns, stating:
It's not been that bad.Events would soon prove otherwise.
Fitness issues became a recurring complaint. United performed poorly against Manchester City despite their opponents being reduced to ten men in the first half, and the team benefited from an Erling Haaland goal that referees' chief Howard Webb later acknowledged should not have stood. After taking a 2-0 lead inside ten minutes against Brighton in the EFL Cup, United were outplayed and beaten by two goals in four second-half minutes.
The fine margins that had favoured Carrick during his interim spell now worked against him. After Matheus Cunha's injury-time equaliser against Fulham—a result Carrick called positive—United were held to another draw immediately after the international break, conceding in injury time to a ten-man Tottenham side.
Lisandro Martinez, who scored an own goal against Fulham, was at fault for Spurs' leveller. His subsequent outburst following a 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid proved remarkable, as the Argentina defender criticised United's summer recruitment and blamed
the technical director—a reference to Wilcox.
By this stage, Sesko and left-back Luke Shaw were injured, and Marcus Rashford had not played since. The rotation at left-back eventually led to Carrick starting five different players in that position. After conceding in the opening minute against Atletico, Como scored inside the first two minutes in a 4-1 Champions League defeat. Fernandes criticised Carrick's tactics afterwards and was subsequently dropped for the Bournemouth match, though he returned as captain at Chelsea. United lost both games.
What has happened since the board's decision to back Carrick?
The club's decision to retain Carrick after Bournemouth was intended to provide stability during the international break. However, subsequent results have intensified pressure on the manager. According to BBC Sport, United's 3-2 comeback victory over Roma on 3 November ended a nine-game winless run, with Fernandes stating that reports of a rift between him and Carrick contained
a lot of lies.Despite this brief respite, the overall trajectory remains deeply concerning.
Carrick has indicated he will not resign from his position. When asked whether talks with United's leadership were certain to occur, he responded:
Will there?Nevertheless, the board's assessment during the international break appears to have shifted decisively against him.
Injury concerns continue to mount. According to BBC Sport, Carrick confirmed that midfielder Carlos Baleba would be sidelined for
a number of weekswith an injury, while left-back Patrick Dorgu was gradually returning from his own fitness issues.
Who could replace Carrick?
BBC Sport reported in October that United had sounded out former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and ex-Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann as potential replacements. Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is known to be interested in the role, while multiple sources have indicated that former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is open to a move to Old Trafford.
Pochettino extended his contract as United States coach in August, though the deal is believed to contain clauses permitting him to leave for specific high-profile positions. The United States face a two-legged Concacaf Nations League play-off against Haiti on 14 and 18 November.
What happens next?
United are scheduled to visit Liverpool on 22 November, a fixture that could prove decisive for Carrick's future. The board's reassessment during the international break is expected to conclude before that match, with a decision on the manager's position likely imminent. After one victory in 11 games and with the club entrenched in the relegation zone, Carrick appears set to pay the price for United's alarming decline.
