Man United Supporters’ Trust blames owners as Carrick departs
The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) branded the dismissal of Michael Carrick ‘another depressing moment’, saying the club’s woes stem chiefly from its owners after United sacked Carrick just ten games into the Premier League season with the side in the relegation zone and having won only once.
Ownership meeting in Monaco
Club officials met minority owner Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Wednesday to discuss Carrick’s future.
A statement issued on Thursday said the hierarchy had reached the extremely difficult conclusion that a change was necessary to achieve their ambitions.
Mauricio Pochettino, former Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea manager and current United States men’s national team boss, is being linked as the permanent replacement.
The club’s announcement praised Michael Carrick as a Manchester United legend and noted his return in January, during which he guided the side to third place in the Premier League, winning twelve of the remaining seventeen matches of the 2025‑26 campaign and amassing the most points in that period.
MUST echoed the tribute, stating his standing among supporters remains undiminished while condemning the ownership for the club’s spiral.
United bolsters January squad with two Premier League defenders
Supporter protest and criticism
The trust added that responsibility for United’s problems lies with the owners, not with Carrick or his managerial predecessors.
Supporters staged a banner protest against owners Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family before the most recent 4‑4 draw with Aston Villa.
They also criticised aggressive ticket‑pricing policies that they say force fans to pay for owners’ mismanagement and stadium ambitions.
The unprecedented scale of booing at Old Trafford, together with public criticism from senior players, signals a deeper division within the club.
Defender Lisandro Martinez said the hierarchy had not done enough to back Carrick in the transfer market after the 2‑1 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid last month.
MUST concluded that owners must allow senior management to change direction, rebuild trust, listen to supporters and acknowledge that fan loyalty is fundamental to football success, adding that another head‑coach change cannot repair what ownership continues to undermine.