Carrick sacked as Manchester United head coach

Michael Carrick has been sacked as Manchester United head coach with Mauricio Pochettino lined up to replace him.

Carrick departs less than six months after signing a two-year contract having overseen the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League season with United in the relegation zone after picking up one win in 10 matches.

United have an agreement in place with Pochettino to take over but he is likely to remain in charge of the USA for their Nations League against Haiti on Saturday and Wednesday before starting work.

Pochettino has a £7m release clause in his newly-signed contract with the USA. Talks with the United Soccer Federation are expected to gather pace in the coming days.

Carrick took training in Manchester on Wednesday as United reached a verbal agreement with Pochettino. Meanwhile, club chiefs were at a Monaco summit with minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

That is where the decision to sack Carrick was ratified by Ratcliffe following the recommendation of chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.

Carrick's exit follows United's 4-4 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, when they fell 2-0 down inside four minutes and then 4-2 down early in the second half before mounting a last-gasp comeback to draw.

The rescue job followed a similar turnaround to beat Roma in the Champions League last Tuesday but was not enough to convince the United hierarchy to continue with the former midfielder in charge.

Carrick was initially appointed as United boss in January 2026 on a contract until the end of the season, following Ruben Amorim's sacking earlier in that campaign. He delivered a brilliant run of results, winning 12 of 17 matches to earn a third-place finish in the Premier League and a return to the Champions League.

Carrick was nominated for Premier League Manager of the Season and, on May 22, signed a new contract running to 2028. However, just three wins in 15 matches this term have cost him his job.

United are now looking for an eighth permanent head coach since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013 - with Pochettino understood to be ready to take the role.

Former Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Pochettino has been considered for the United job on three previous occasions, but finally now looks set for the Old Trafford hot seat.