Michael Carrick at Man Utd: Why It All Went So Wrong, So Quickly

Well, it’s official. Just six months after permanently being appointed Manchester United manager, Michael Carrick has been fired.

Despite the 45-year-old masterminding last season’s resurgence and subsequent qualification for the Champions League, there seemed an inevitability about his demise from the moment he was handed the poisoned chalice.

From the opening match of the season, an abysmal 2–0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City, things were only ever heading in one direction, but there were many more embarrassing low points en route to Carrick’s dismissal.

There were disastrous three-goal defeats to Como and Bournemouth, humiliation in the derby against 10-man Manchester City and woeful losses at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion, Atlético Madrid and Chelsea.

So, where did it all go wrong for Carrick?

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• The Story of Man Utd’s 10-Year Interest in Pochettino

• How Pochettino Buyout Clause Compares to Alternatives

Tactical Shortcomings

Michael Carrick — Carrick didn’t have the résumé to be Man Utd manager. | Naomi Baker/UEFA/Getty Images

Confidence and momentum are powerful factors in soccer. They were certainly instrumental in United’s recovery under Carrick last season, which saw them rise from seventh at his interim appointment to third come the campaign’s conclusion. But they’re not catalysts one can rely on forever.

Carrick went back to basics during his interim stint, most notably ditching Ruben Amorim’s hated 3-4-2-1 formation and reinstalling Kobbie Mainoo in midfield. Alongside the decision to move Bruno Fernandes back into the No. 10 position, those tweaks proved transformative, and quickly won him favor with his new players.

But this season’s challenge would require Carrick to elevate United to another level, which was made all the harder by the added workload of Champions League soccer. He could no longer rely on good vibes alone. It was time to prove his tactical acumen.

In that regard, however, Carrick has fallen alarmingly short—and rather unsurprisingly considering his unspectacular résumé.

During his time with Championship outfit Middlesbrough, Carrick also enjoyed a new-manager bounce, taking the club from just above the relegation zone to the playoffs in his first term. But, as was the case at Old Trafford, his side soon regressed, falling to eighth and 10th-place finishes in the following seasons—which ultimately led to his dismissal.

Carrick’s final match at the helm, United’s bizarre 4–4 draw with Aston Villa, underscored his shortcomings. The decision to yet again field the leaky midfield partnership of Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans backfired, as did the decision to play Diogo Dalot at left back once more. Deciding not to make any substitutions, outside those related to injury, until the 66th minute was another strange choice.

From week to week, there were no signs of improvement or significant tactical changes. That’s pretty damning.

Dismal Defensive Record

Harry Maguire — The Red Devils have been leaking goals. | Gary Oakley/MB Media/Getty Images

At the heart of United’s misery was a misfiring defense. Only French side Lens (31)—who recently shipped nine to Como in the Champions League—have conceded more times than United (30) among clubs in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

The Red Devils conceded two or more in 10 of their 15 outings, and in each of Carrick’s final five games in charge. Those numbers make for utterly grim viewing, and the inability to organize an underwhelming rearguard proved Carrick’s undoing.

Sure, United’s defense is hardly impressive, either on paper or in practice. A backline which leans so heavily on Harry Maguire as the source of leadership and consistency is always in trouble, with some unconvincing alternatives to the Englishman joined by similarly poor full back options in a roster short on defensive talent. But their defensive record remains inexcusable, regardless of personnel and injuries.

Recruitment is partially to blame, of course—we’ll come to that—but Carrick’s failure to fortify his porous defense cannot be forgiven.

Summer Recruitment

Youri Tielemans is among the summer recruits to have struggled. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Carrick must shoulder significant responsibility for United’s dire start to the campaign, as must the players who have been underperforming under his guidance. But the club’s recruitment team need also accept their fair portion of blame for assembling a lopsided and under-resourced squad.

United’s transfer policy must come under scrutiny. After reinventing their forward line and strengthening between the sticks in 2025, all attention was on bolstering the midfield last summer. One would assume that next year will bring necessary changes to the defense.

The decision to fix the team department by department has completely undermined Carrick, though. It was clear United required another left back, center back, left winger and/or substitute striker to help them juggle domestic and European duties, yet all their were funds were directed toward the engine room.

The midfield certainly needed improving, especially with Casemiro leaving, but during the significant overhaul, United failed to remedy other areas of the team. That has come back to bite them—and Carrick, too—and their new additions have struggled.

Youri Tielemans, heralded as an excellent and opportunistic signing, has failed to adapt to increased demands out of possession, while Andrey Santos is yet to find his feet. Carlos Baleba’s injury issues have only exacerbated things.

Left without the necessary quality and depth to compete, Carrick has every right to feel aggrieved—although falling to 18th in the Premier League is unacceptable no matter the club’s shoddy recruitment.

Open Rebellion

Bruno Fernandes undermined his manager’s authority. | Michael Regan/Getty Images

Dissenting voices have grown louder by the week at Old Trafford. The ongoing battle between the club’s supporters and the ownership group rages on, but it was surprise outbursts from members of Carrick’s team which undermined him most.

Lisandro Martínez took aim at technical director Jason Wilcox for his role in United’s disappointing recruitment—rather ironically, given how much the club overpaid in signing the Argentine from Ajax in 2022—and things then got worse for Carrick as his captain Fernandes criticized the club’s tactical approach following the 4–1 loss to Como.

“It’s a decision from the staff to not press man-to-man and sometimes leave a little space in behind and try to get the ball in the first moment, to wait for them, to give them the ball,” Fernandes fumed.

“But sometimes when you give too much the ball to these teams they get confident, they have so many bodies behind the ball that make you run a lot, make people get frustrated, and then obviously when you recover the ball the legs are, and the brain, much more difficult to make it work.”

Asked to expand on whether United’s tactics contributed to the defeat, Fernandes added: “That’s on the manager and on the staff to see it, it’s not on me.“

The 32-year-old was dropped for the subsequent 3–0 loss to Bournemouth, before being restored to the team following clear-the-air talks with Carrick. But, unfortunately for his manager, the damage was already done.

Such a withering critique of Carrick’s tactical capabilities suggested that his players—not just outside onlookers—were beginning to question his ability to lead the club. Once that becomes the case, there is no way back.

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