Manchester United weigh sacking of Michael Carrick as Jason Wilcox conducts review

On 9 November 2026, Manchester United are deciding whether to sack head coach Michael Carrick, with director of football Jason Wilcox leading a review. Carrick was given the Chelsea, Roma and Aston Villa matches to turn results around before the assessment concludes.

Wilcox is consulting with Omar Berrada, the chief executive, before a recommendation is made to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who controls sporting policy. United sit in the Premier League relegation zone and have three victories in 15 games in all competitions. Carrick came close to being removed after the 3-0 loss to Bournemouth on 25 October; Wilcox and Berrada met the following day at the training ground to discuss his position.

United lost 2-0 at Chelsea, where Carrick’s side impressed in the first half but failed to convert chances and conceded twice after the interval, the second from a penalty after Lisandro Martínez was sent off.

At Old Trafford United beat Roma 3-2, having gone 2-0 behind in a poor opening 45 minutes before three goals in a rousing second half; Carrick urged his team to build momentum after that victory.

United shared a 4-4 home draw with Aston Villa on Sunday, twice trailed by two goals and entered added time 4-2 down before Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu struck to rescue a point.

Earlier this month United lost 4-1 at Como, with Nico Paz scoring after two minutes, and that followed Pablo Barrios’s opener one minute into the 2-0 defeat at Atlético Madrid the previous week; there is no plan to bolster Carrick’s coaching staff to try to help him and the team, it is understood.

If Carrick is removed, Eddie Howe remains Jason Wilcox’s favoured candidate. The former Newcastle manager is taking a break from the game but would be open to considering the job.