Manchester United’s manager churn raises questions about deeper problems

Manchester United’s latest run of poor results and signs of discord have renewed questions about whether repeated changes of manager can solve problems rooted deeper in the club’s leadership and decision-making.

Writing for BBC Sport, chief football writer Phil McNulty argues that Michael Carrick risks becoming the latest manager to take the blame for failures that extend beyond the dugout. United have gone seven games without a win in all competitions, and the article says defender Lisandro Martínez criticised director of football Jason Wilcox after a Champions League defeat, while captain Bruno Fernandes questioned the team’s tactics after another loss.

Carrick is the club’s seventh full-time manager since Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013. David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Erik ten Hag and Rúben Amorim have all since been dismissed. Van Gaal, Mourinho and Ten Hag won domestic or European trophies, but none came close to restoring Ferguson-era success.

McNulty traces the instability to a succession of disputed decisions by successive club leaders, from the Glazer family and former executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Among the examples he cites are Ten Hag’s contract extension after the 2024 FA Cup final, followed by his dismissal six months later, and sporting director Dan Ashworth’s departure five months after joining in 2024.

The article also points to tensions over cost-cutting and ticketing. United acknowledged underestimating how many supporters shared account details during a summer investigation into ticket touting, while defending its approach. The club’s latest figures showed overall debt of £1bn, alongside record revenue of £678m and an operating profit of £23m, despite not playing in Europe. United also spent £64m buying land for a proposed new stadium; chief executive Omar Berrada said in August that the club remained on track for a project with a projected capacity of 100,000 and an estimated cost above £2bn.

Carrick’s position remains uncertain. McNulty argues that United’s results and internal tensions may leave the manager exposed, while further turnover risks prolonging the instability the club has struggled to escape.