Manchester United reportedly sack Michael Carrick as Mauricio Pochettino nears Old Trafford job
Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick, according to reports, with Mauricio Pochettino expected to replace him before the Premier League trip to Liverpool on 22 November.
Cameron Smith, writing for FootballTransfers, cited Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic in reporting that United had decided to dismiss Carrick with immediate effect. At the time of publication on Thursday morning, United had yet to formally announce his departure or appoint a successor.
Carrick’s final fixture was a 4-4 draw with Aston Villa. A late equaliser salvaged a point at Old Trafford, but United went into the November international break in 18th place, with eight points from their opening ten league matches.
Carrick’s permanent spell falls short of his interim promise
As recently as May, United had good reason to believe Carrick was the right man for the job. His work as interim manager had persuaded the club to give him the position permanently. Less than six months later, he leaves with fewer wins in all competitions this season than United managed goals in his final match.
Across 15 fixtures, Carrick’s side won three, drew five and lost seven. One of those wins, against Roma in the Champions League, offered a glimpse of why his players could still command a crowd at Old Trafford. Yet European results could do nothing to improve a league position that had come to define his tenure.
Bournemouth defeat put Carrick’s job in doubt
The 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth in late October marked a turning point. According to FootballTransfers, Carrick was given three games to save his job. Two of the responses that followed were memorable for much the same reason: United found themselves in trouble and had enough attacking quality to recover.
Against Roma, a Bruno Fernandes penalty and two goals from Matheus Cunha turned a two-goal half-time deficit into a 3-2 victory. Against Villa, United went one better in front of goal and still came away with less. Scoring four at home earned them a single Premier League point.
There was evidence in those games that the players could respond to Carrick under pressure. What was missing, particularly against Villa, was the ability to put themselves in a position where a rescue act was unnecessary.
Pochettino emerges ahead of Howe and Nagelsmann
Pochettino, the United States head coach, has reportedly reached a verbal agreement with United. Eddie Howe, Julian Nagelsmann, Antonio Conte and Unai Emery had also been linked with the position, but it is the former Tottenham and Chelsea manager whom FootballTransfers identifies as the expected appointment.
His experience of English football would allow United to make the change without asking a new manager to learn the league during a difficult run of results. The more pressing task would be getting a side capable of scoring four against Villa to defend well enough for two goals to win a match.
Liverpool trip gives United a deadline
The international break leaves a gap between the board’s reported decision and United’s next competitive fixture. If the appointment proceeds as expected, Pochettino’s first match would be at Anfield on 22 November.
For the incoming manager, the most useful lesson from Carrick’s last week may be what to keep. Fernandes and Cunha supplied the goals that beat Roma, and United were still finding a route to goal late against Villa. There is something to work with in attack. The urgency comes from the other end of the pitch: United cannot count on scoring four at Anfield, and Carrick’s final afternoon showed that even four might not be enough.
