Manchester United move closer to sacking Michael Carrick as review reaches decision point
Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada are expected to recommend Carrick’s dismissal after a three-game review, but Manchester United have not made a final decision.
Manchester United are moving towards dismissing head coach Michael Carrick after a three-match review of results, the Guardian reported on 9 November. No final decision has been made, and director of football Jason Wilcox is leading the review with chief executive Omar Berrada.
The club is in the Premier League relegation zone after a poor start to the season. The decision now rests on a recommendation from its senior football executives and the club’s leadership.
- The Guardian reported that Wilcox and Berrada are moving towards recommending Carrick’s dismissal.
- BBC Sport also reported that no final decision has been made and that dismissal is expected to be recommended.
- ESPN reported that Mauricio Pochettino is the main candidate to replace Carrick if he leaves.
Why Manchester United are reviewing Carrick
Wilcox and Berrada are consulting before recommending a course of action to minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family, according to the Guardian and BBC Sport. The Guardian reported that Ratcliffe controls sporting policy. BBC Sport said the club had intended to reassess Carrick during the November international break.
Carrick had been given the Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa matches to turn results around. United lost to Chelsea, beat Roma and drew 4-4 with Villa. In that final match, they came back from two goals down, with late goals from Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu securing a point, the Guardian reported.
The sequence followed a 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth on 25 October. BBC Sport reported that United considered dismissing Carrick after that loss but chose to give him more time; the Guardian said Wilcox and Berrada discussed his position the following day before granting him the three-match period.
The results have not shifted the broader picture. The Guardian reported that United had three wins in 15 matches in all competitions and were in the relegation zone. BBC Sport said they sat 18th, with one win in 10 league matches—the club’s worst start to a top-flight season since 1986/87. The Villa draw left them 18th, in what BBC Sport described as their worst start to a domestic campaign in 40 years.
Who could replace Michael Carrick
ESPN reported that sources told it United were ready to sack Carrick and that United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino was the leading replacement candidate. The Guardian also described Pochettino as a potential candidate and reported he was understood to be open to the job. BBC Sport separately said he was open to a move to Old Trafford.
Pochettino signed an extension as United States coach in August. BBC Sport reported that his contract was thought to include clauses allowing him to leave for certain high-profile jobs. The United States have a two-legged Concacaf Nations League play-off against Haiti scheduled for 14 and 18 November. The Guardian also reported that former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe remained on Wilcox’s radar.
What it means for Carrick and Manchester United
Carrick remains in charge while the review proceeds. The Guardian and BBC Sport both reported that no final decision had been made; the reported expectation of a recommendation is not an announcement of dismissal. The club’s next step is for Wilcox and Berrada to make their recommendation to its leadership.
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What this story rests on
3 sources from 3 organisations: 2 broadcasters, 1 newspaper or magazine.
- 1Michael Carrick facing Manchester United axe amid review by Jason WilcoxThe Guardian · theguardian.comNewspaper or magazine
- 2Michael Carrick: Manchester United expected to sack head coachBBC Sport · bbc.co.ukBroadcaster
- 3Transfer rumors, news: Man United eye move for Forest's MurilloESPN · espn.comBroadcaster
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.
Researched and drafted with AI tools from these sources, then checked against them paragraph by paragraph before publication. How we work · Everyone we cite · Report an error
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