Manchester United sack Michael Carrick after poor start to season

Manchester United have sacked head coach Michael Carrick after winning only one of their first 10 Premier League matches, leaving the club 18th in the table. The club confirmed his departure through its official channels, according to Dutch news agency ANP.

Carrick, 45, took over in January after Ruben Amorim was dismissed and led United to third place last season. He signed a two-year contract in May.

Mauricio Pochettino has been named as a possible successor. The Argentine is currently head coach of the United States, with a contract running until mid-2030, and has previously managed Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

The dismissal follows a poor start that had put Carrick’s position under pressure. BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that United chief executive Omar Berrada, director of football Jason Wilcox and minority shareholder Jim Ratcliffe were due to discuss Carrick’s future in Monaco the following day. A BBC report published before the dismissal said Carrick’s exit was expected and that Pochettino was poised to take over; it noted that no appointment had yet been made official at that point.