MANCHESTER (The Thursday Times) — Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick, the club said on Thursday, with the team 18th in the Premier League after their worst start to a top-flight season in 40 years.
“After a disappointing start to the season, the club has come to the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary in order to achieve our ambitions,” United said in a statement, adding that it intended to appoint a permanent successor “as quickly as possible”.
The club called Carrick, 45, “a Manchester United legend” who had conducted himself “with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism”.
One league win in 10
United have won one of their 10 league games this season, against Ipswich Town in August, and have eight points. They have conceded 30 goals in all competitions. Their last match before the international break, a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, needed two stoppage-time goals to save a point.
Carrick took charge on an interim basis in January after Ruben Amorim was sacked, and won 12 of his 17 games to lead United to a third-place finish and back into the Champions League. He was given the job permanently in May on a contract to 2028, but could not carry that form into the new season.
He is the second head coach United have dismissed this calendar year, a first for the club.
Pochettino lined up
United have reached an agreement in principle with Mauricio Pochettino, the United States head coach, to take over. His US contract carries a release clause of about $10 million, and reports in the US say the federation is weighing Pep Guardiola as a possible replacement.
Pochettino, who has managed Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea, would be United’s eighth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. United’s next match is away to Liverpool on November 22.
