Man United sack Carrick after worst start; Pochettino set to take over

Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick this Thursday after the club's worst-ever Premier League start—just eight points from ten games leaves them in the relegation zone. The decision came after a chaotic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, with co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and football director Jason Wilcox finalizing the move during a Monaco meeting Wednesday.

Carrick had earned credit for steadying United last season, guiding them to third place with twelve wins from seventeen games. But this campaign unravelled fast: three wins from fifteen games across all competitions, discipline fractures (he dropped captain Bruno Fernandes after a 4-1 Champions League thrashing at Como), and defender Lisandro Martinez publicly blasting the hierarchy for poor signings.

Mauricio Pochettino, currently USA manager, has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to take over. The Argentine signed a contract extension through the 2030 World Cup just three months ago, but his Premier League pedigree—Southampton, Tottenham, Chelsea—makes him a familiar fit. Sky Sports says the deal is "in principle."

United's next test couldn't be tougher: Liverpool at Anfield on November 22. Pochettino inherits a squad low on confidence, a fanbase desperate for a first league title since Ferguson retired in 2013, and a club that has fallen behind City, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Can Pochettino's high-press system and man-management fix United's culture before the Liverpool clash, or is this another reactive appointment that papers over deeper structural problems?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/11/12/man-utd-sack-manager-carrick-with-pochettino-set-for-hot-seat/