Michael Carrick has endured a woeful first season as Manchester United's permanent manager.
Manchester United v Aston Villa FC - Premier League 2026/27
The pressure is mounting on Michael Carrick. (Image: Getty)
The pressure is continuing to grow on Michael Carrick and his future at Manchester United. He was surprisingly given three games to prove himself to the INEOS ownership after a humiliating 3-0 defeat at the hands of Bournemouth, but matters have barely improved since then.
Carrick has overseen one win since then, a comeback win over Roma in the Champions League, but that result came either side of a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea and another fightback to draw 4-4 with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Discussions will take place on Monday and over the international break, as INEOS mull over whether they will pull the trigger. Here, our Express Sport writers have given our verdicts on whether Carrick should be sacked today...
If Manchester United want to be a serious football club again, it’s pretty clear they need an upgrade on Michael Carrick.
Listen, fair play for United’s two comebacks. They looked dead and buried in both matches. But let’s not forget how utterly terrible they also looked in prolonged stages of both games.
The second half against Aston Villa was turgid until stoppage time and the defensive issues are so, so poor. Are they partly down to personnel? Yes. But you’re not telling me no other coach couldn’t sort this side out better at the back. They absolutely could.
Whether you risk Antonio Conte upsetting the squad by publicly calling them s**t, or go for someone ‘safer’ like Eddie Howe, I’m not sure. But very little will improve under Carrick. United are 18th in the Premier League with one win from 10 games for God’s sake. Sorry Michael, but sack him.
The best time to sack Michael Carrick was immediately after hiring him. Ideally, from a Manchester United perspective, they wouldn't have hired him in the first place.
The second-best time to sack him was after the Bournemouth humiliation. But there's no time like the present and INEOS cannot turn down the chance to part ways while Premier League football has paused for the international break.
Yes, United have issues that run deeper than Carrick, but he's grossly underqualified and shouldn't be in charge of the club, sorry... football club.
Manchester United v Aston Villa FC - Premier League 2026/27
Michael Carrick might have managed his last game at Manchester United. (Image: Getty)
It's pretty clear that Michael Carrick's position is untenable to the point of no return, which was already the case after the defeat to Bournemouth some weeks ago.
United were right to give him time after their poor start to the season, given the impressive job he did towards the end of the previous campaign.
However, it's now mid-November and the club are in the relegation zone. That is unacceptable, no matter how you spin it.
Even though their current plight is largely down to the suits in the boardroom and not necessarily Carrick, he hasn't helped himself with his team selections and looks out of his depth in the Old Trafford dugout.
The question of who United would get in to replace him is another issue entirely, but it's obvious that Carrick can't continue. He isn't going to walk because he loves the club too much, so those in power must pull the trigger during this international break.
Back him or sack him, it’s as simple as that.
What Michael Carrick does not need is constant speculation over his future, how is anyone supposed to perform to their highest level when the club’s figurehead could leave at any time?
But I would still like to see Carrick stay at the club, even despite a disastrous season.
There are hardly any outstanding candidates to replace him, and Carrick is still the same manager who led United to third just a few months ago.
The squad hasn’t changed too much since last season, but their downturn is a clear sign that club morale plays a massive part in its success.
How about INEOS acknowledge that Carrick was not properly supported in the summer, make up for that in January, and inform the world of the direction they actually want to head in?
Otherwise, we will be in the same situation a few months down the line, just with Carrick’s name replaced by another coach.