Michael Carrick facing Manchester United exit before Liverpool fixture

Manchester United are considering ending Michael Carrick’s time as manager after a poor run of results left the club in the Premier League relegation zone.

United entered the international break 18th in the table after a remarkable 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday. Although the club insists no final decision has been made, multiple sources have told The Athletic that officials have begun assessing potential replacements for Carrick.

The former midfielder is expected to be dismissed before United’s next match against Liverpool at Anfield, which is 13 days away on 22 November 2026.

Mauricio Pochettino, manager of the United States, is understood to be among the leading candidates. Some figures within United also admire Eddie Howe, the former Newcastle United manager, and Julian Nagelsmann, who recently took charge of Germany.

Any final decision over Carrick’s future would require approval from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the club’s co-owner, as well as the Glazer family, United’s majority owners.

Carrick’s position has been under increasing pressure for several weeks following a difficult start to the season. United have won only one Premier League match and three games in all competitions.

After a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth last month, the club’s hierarchy decided to give Carrick and his players more time to improve their performances and results. However, United have won only one of their three matches since then, with that victory coming against Roma in the Champions League.

The sequence has strengthened expectations that Carrick’s brief spell as the club’s permanent manager will end before United play again.

United appointed Carrick on a two-year contract in May, following his successful period as caretaker manager. He had taken charge in January after replacing Ruben Amorim.

When Carrick began his temporary spell, United were seventh in the Premier League. He helped produce a significant improvement in their form, with the club collecting 39 points from the final 17 matches of the season before finishing third.

No other club earned more Premier League points during the previous season from the time Carrick took charge. United’s run included victories against Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

That domestic revival has not continued into the current campaign. United won just one of their opening 10 Premier League matches and were eliminated from the English League Cup by Brighton.