The Winners and Losers From Michael Carrick’s Man Utd Firing

Manchester United have failed to escape an all-too-familiar cycle in a post-Sir Alex Ferguson landscape, parting ways with another manager who initially offered so much promise.

Michael Carrick’s back-to-basics approach worked wonders at Old Trafford after succeeding Ruben Amorim at the start of 2026. Carrick, adored at the Theatre of Dreams given his work with the Red Devils as a player, reintegrated fan favorites and expertly platformed United’s star man, Bruno Fernandes, to guide the club back into the Champions League.

No team picked up more points in the Premier League last season after Carrick’s arrival as interim manager than United, who finished third.

His performance left INEOS with no choice but to offer Carrick the job permanently, even if there was recognition that 2026–27 would be a whole lot tougher, with extra games on the schedule amid heightened expectations.

Few, though, projected such a dismal showing. United’s season is two-and-a-half months old, yet it already feels somewhat redundant. It won’t be long until a remarkable relegation is genuinely feared.

Things unraveled rapidly for Carrick at the poisoned chalice. Here are the winners and losers from United’s latest managerial departure.

MORE ON CARRICK’S FIRING, POTENTIAL MAURICIO POCHETTINO HIRING

• Man Utd Fire Carrick After Disastrous Start to 2026–27

• The Numbers Behind Carrick’s Failed Man Utd Reign

• Man Utd Make Formal Approach for USMNT Boss Pochettino

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

• How Pochettino Buyout Clause Compares to Alternatives•

Winners

Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox

United supporters have made it abundantly clear that it’s not Carrick they deem most responsible for the club’s plight. After the 3–0 defeat to Bournemouth last month, a forlorn group of players trudged behind the manager and were subject to a cacophony of discontent once Carrick was out of sight down the tunnel.

And this is a roster crafted by directors Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox. Both were regarded as major coups upon their respective arrivals in 2024, yet have quickly emerged as unpopular figures in Manchester.

These two ultimately decided Carrick’s fate, and neither will have to face the music. They were perhaps hamstrung by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s frugality, but they ultimately failed to build a roster that gave Carrick the best chance of succeeding.

The club was unable to seize the momentum gained during Carrick’s interim spell, half-heartedly going about retooling their midfield while leaving the other position groups alone. Carrick wasn’t bereft of flaws, but he was left short-handed by those above.

Now, it’s time for the pair to decide on a successor—in other words, their next fall guy—and it looks most likely to be Mauricio Pochettino.

Joshua Zirkzee

Benjamin Šeško’s injury struggles at the start of the new season have undoubtedly contributed to the club’s malaise. The Slovenian developed nicely at the end of his debut campaign in Manchester, but a nagging shin issue limited him to 206 minutes across all competitions before Carrick’s firing.

United have struggled mightily since Šeško returned to the treatment room, with Carrick attempting to mitigate his absence by using Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in central roles. Joshua Zirkzee was often overlooked, despite Carrick saying at the start of September that he “believes” in the Dutchman.

“I’m telling you, Josh can do some really top things. I’ve seen it myself, and I’m looking forward to him doing that a little bit more,” he said.

Zirkzee hasn’t made a single start for United this season, instead limited to cameo roles. He scored a consolation goal in the chastening Champions League defeat at Como and helped inspire the Red Devils to pull off their dramatic late comeback against Aston Villa on Sunday.

The Dutchman, who thrived in Italy with Bologna but had flattered to deceive in Manchester even before Carrick’s arrival, is seemingly unlikely to ever prosper with the Red Devils. The majority would suggest that he’s no center forward, but rather a facilitator.

Zirkzee needs a fresh start. A new manager could offer him that, and if they can’t get a tune out of him, it’ll surely be time for the forward to return to a slower tempo somewhere on the continent.

Losers

Lisandro Martínez

Lisandro Martínez hit the nail on the head with his comments after United’s defeat to Atlético Madrid last month.

“I expect more [investment], 100%. I expect more from our technical director [Jason Wilcox]. I have to be honest: as players, we have to do more, but it is also important, when you make a strong squad, to be ready for this kind of night. Last season we did everything; we created the base to create an amazing team.”

The Red Devils simply didn’t do enough in the summer to set themselves up for a considerably more demanding campaign. Martínez’s frustrations were justified, even if his performance levels haven’t been up to par this season, and it’s Carrick who’s taken the fall for oversights by those running the show.

“You can’t keep changing, changing, changing the manager. What about other areas?” he questioned.

Marcus Rashford

For so long, Marcus Rashford had no future at United. A loan switch to Barcelona was meant to be an exciting fresh start for the England international, but the La Liga champions opted against signing Rashford permanently.

And just to rub it in, they signed compatriot Anthony Gordon instead.

While Rashford’s game-breaking talent just about remains intact, potential suitors have long been deterred by the winger’s sky-high salary. He remains one of United’s top earners, and Barça’s decision to let him return to Manchester allowed Carrick to reintegrate the divisive academy graduate.

Teammates while Louis van Gaal was in charge, Rashford felt comfortable about returning to the fold under Carrick after being exiled by Amorim. It seemed as if Rashford was destined to purr again, and although there was an impressive performance at Everton in September, Carrick lost faith before his departure.

Rashford has yet to record a single goal contribution this season, eventually losing his place in the starting XI before picking up an injury. There’s no guarantee that the new man in charge will be so keen to maintain Rashford’s prominence as Carrick was to have him back in the summer.

Kobbie Mainoo

Overlooked by Amorim, Kobbie Mainoo was revitalized by Carrick.

The midfielder’s form during the second half of the season earned him a new contract, signed in April, as well as a spot on Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup roster. Mainoo didn’t play a single minute in North America, but his selection was a testament to his resurgence after Carrick returned to the Old Trafford touchline.

The young Englishman blossomed alongside Casemiro in United’s engine room, and the club sought to mitigate the experienced midfielder’s exit via three summer arrivals. Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba all have their merits, and many praised United’s expenditure at a time when rivals were supposedly spending far too much to regenerate their midfields.

It’d be harsh to write any of them off at this early juncture, yet none have been able to extract the best of Mainoo and vice versa. An aging Casemiro was the perfect foil for Mainoo, as was Carrick’s measured approach. He was always going to back the academy graduate, and United are winless when he hasn’t played in 2026.

But there are clear deficiencies with Mainoo out of possession, which Carrick was willing to overlook, given what he supplies with the ball. Others, as Tuchel was in the summer, may not be so kind.

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