Man Utd has let Michael Carrick go as head coach, an official statement has announced.
Manchester United have announced that Michael Carrick will be leaving his role as head coach. The team is currently struggling in the Premier League, sitting in the relegation zone after a dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Carrick, who became the permanent head coach in May after doing well as interim coach, has faced increasing pressure due to a tough start to the season. The Reds haven’t won in their last 10 games across all competitions and have only earned eight points from 10 Premier League matches so far.
Reports say the club gave Carrick three games before the international break to improve results, but after Sunday’s draw, they decided it was time for a change. Manchester United released a statement saying:
“Michael Carrick has left his role as men’s first-team head coach. Michael came back to the club in January and helped the team finish third in the Premier League by winning 12 of the last 17 games last season, earning the most points in the league during that time. Despite the tough start this season, the club believes a change is needed to reach our goals. Michael will always be a Manchester United legend. Like when he was a player, he showed great dedication and professionalism during his time back at the club. We will remember his leadership and success fondly. The club plans to find a permanent replacement soon.”
According to Sky Sports, the club was already thinking about other options after losing to Bournemouth, though they gave Carrick a chance to turn things around. So now the big question is: who will be the next Manchester United head coach?
Several well-known managers have been linked with the job, such as Eddie Howe, Antonio Conte, and Julian Nagelsmann. Howe, who stepped down as Newcastle manager in July, was the favorite, especially since the club’s director of football, Jason Wilcox, prefers someone with Premier League experience.
However, Manchester United are close to hiring Mauricio Pochettino, the current head coach of the US men’s national team. The BBC reported that Pochettino is ready to accept the job, with talks starting earlier this week. The club will need to pay around $10 million (£7.5m) to US Soccer to release him from his contract. Pochettino agreed to a four-year extension in August after the World Cup.
Manchester United’s next game after the international break is a tough away match at Liverpool on November 22. Then they travel to Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on November 25, before hosting Brentford in the Premier League three days later.