Manchester United sits in the relegation zone under Michael Carrick and the Old Trafford side is said to have made a decision on his future ahead of facing Liverpool next
Michael Carrick after Man Utd 4-4 Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Michael Carrick after Man Utd 4-4 Aston Villa in the Premier League.(Image: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Manchester United is reportedly intending to fire Michael Carrick ahead of facing Liverpool after the international break, with Mauricio Pochettino one of the options to replace him.
This weekend, the Old Trafford side came from two goals down twice against Aston Villa, but it sits third from bottom around a quarter of the way through the Premier League campaign.
Only Sunderland and Crystal Palace have worse records than Manchester United at this stage, with the Red Devils having won just one of their last 11 games in all competitions. Key men including Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez have also both spoken out against Carrick in recent weeks.
According to The Athletic, while nothing has been confirmed yet, Carrick is set to be relieved of his duties. Pochettino is named as a contender, while Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann have also been linked.
Manchester United travels to Anfield following the November international break, by which time there could be another man in the dugout.
It also has games with Brentford, Newcastle, Coventry and Crystal Palace on the horizon, and has Sporting CP next in the Champions League, where it has already lost twice.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is interviewed by Sky Sports
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick is interviewed by Sky Sports(Image: Sky Sports)
Carrick said after the draw with Aston Villa that he would not be resigning. Instead, he hoped to limp on in the role, with more crisis meetings taking place today.
"We understand the situation," he admitted. "We haven’t won enough games. But I expect to move forward and keep working on things we’ve been working on, showing a lot of the good in the game today, tighten up on a few mistakes and win football matches."
Several pundits have weighed in on Carrick's future lately, with the decision seemingly having been inevitable for some time.
"I think he can never say publicly, but I think Michael Carrick would want to be put out of his misery," Jamie Carragher said last month.
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"I really do. I think the thought of going into that training ground now, seeing Bruno [Fernandes] and trying to get them and trying to do that team talk before Chelsea when you know the players just aren't having you at all.
"Those players know that Michael Carrick's not going to be there in two or three weeks. He knows it, they know it, everybody, we know it."
Carrick is Manchester United's seventh permanent manager since Alex Ferguson retired. He replaced Ruben Amorim last season.