Manchester United crisis deepens: Carrick on the brink of dismissal

Yet another managerial crisis

Manchester United, winless in eight consecutive matches and sitting directly above the Premier League relegation zone, is once again on the verge of a change of head coach. According to AFP, Michael Carrick is under threat, appointed in May on a two-year contract after a striking revival of the team under his leadership: the club then finished third in the Premier League and returned to the Champions League. After the home 0:3 defeat to Bournemouth, fans applauded Carrick as he walked off to the dressing room, but booed the players. The coach himself said his lap of honour after the match was not a farewell: 'I definitely knew that we had not solved all the problems and there was still a lot of work to do, but that does not mean everything had to turn out this way.'

Candidates and internal conflicts

According to AFP, the 45-year-old Carrick remains in his post, but his position is increasingly shaky: among the candidates named are former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe and ex-Germany national team coach Julian Nagelsmann. Divisions have emerged within the squad: Lisandro Martinez publicly criticised sporting director Jason Wilcox for insufficient strengthening of the squad, while captain Bruno Fernandes, after the crushing 1:4 defeat to Champions League debutants Como, questioned Carrick's tactics.

The problems run deeper than the dugout

History repeats itself: Carrick is already the seventh permanent manager since Alex Ferguson's departure, and the club last won the Premier League title 13 years ago. The summer overhaul of the midfield failed: Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Matheus Fernandes chose other clubs, while the arrivals Carlos Baleba, Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos (a combined outlay of around £150 million) have so far failed to impress. Former club captain Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports, placed responsibility above the coach: 'It cannot again be only the coach who is to blame. There must be consequences higher up as well. You cannot let people choose the coach who get it wrong time after time.' He recalled that the Glazer family retains its controlling stake despite fan protests, and that hopes pinned on Jim Ratcliffe, who became a minority owner in 2024, have not been fulfilled: amid cost cuts and rising ticket prices, the club's debt has exceeded £1.1 billion ($1.47 billion).