Carrick leaves United, remains a legend, club seeks a successor
Michael Carrick leaves Carrington, the training complex of Manchester United. He has been dismissed by the club. The club calls him a legend forever. Carrick arrived in a Land Rover, left at 11:15 and shortly thereafter reported his dismissal.
The club entered the international break as 18th in the Premier League, after the 4‑4 draw against Aston Villa last Sunday. Manchester United therefore has to start again. © PA Images via Michael Carrick leaves Carrington, the training complex of Manchester United.
It appears that Mauricio Pochettino, now the United States' national team coach, should become Carrick's successor. British media reported on Tuesday that chief executive Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox and shareholder Jim Ratcliffe would decide on Carrick’s future on Wednesday in Monaco.
BBC reporter Simon Stone was at Carrington, the training complex of Manchester United, on Thursday morning. He saw Carrick arrive and depart at 11:15 in his Land Rover, after which he shortly reported his dismissal.
British journalist David Ornstein of The Athletic later reported the news that Carrick and his staff had learned of their dismissal. Twenty minutes after the BBC report, the club itself confirmed the departure.
Club responds and seeks successor
Manchester United confirmed on the club website that Michael Carrick is no longer head coach of the first team and that a change was deemed necessary after a disappointing start to the season. The club stated that Carrick remains a legend forever, with dedication, professionalism and leadership, and that a permanent successor will be appointed as soon as possible.
Carrick was midfielder of Manchester United from 2006 to 2018, scoring 24 times in 464 matches. He won five league titles with United and the Champions League in 2008.
In November 2021 he was briefly interim‑coach at United, after which he was head coach at Middlesbrough in the Championship from October 2022 to June 2025. On 5 January trainer Rúben Amorim was dismissed and a week later Carrick took over the helm as interim‑trainer.
He started strongly by beating Manchester City and Arsenal straight away. In the second half of the season he achieved twelve wins and only two defeats from seventeen matches.
Carrick steered Manchester United to third place and thus to Champions League football. In the summer he signed a contract as head coach until the summer of 2028.
Season in numbers and future
This season began with a 2‑0 defeat against newly promoted Hull City. In the first ten Premier‑League rounds United won only once, at home against Ipswich Town.
With eight points the club sits in eighteenth place, which means relegation at the end of the season and is the worst start to a season in forty years in the competition. As interim‑coach Carrick achieved 11 wins, three draws and two defeats in sixteen matches, averaging 2.25 points per game.
As head coach he recorded four wins, five draws and seven defeats in sixteen matches, averaging 1.06 points per game. After the international break Manchester United play away at Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday 22 November at 17:30.
Three days later an away match against Sporting in Lisbon follows. English media report that Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino should become the new manager at Old Trafford.
There is already an agreement with the current United States national team coach. The cancellation of a press conference by the US Soccer Federation (USSF) fueled rumours about Carrick. The USSF stated that the cancellation was due to Veterans Day, a national day of remembrance in the United States.