Has Carrick been sacked yet? Not officially — but the signs are pointing in one very clear direction. Manchester United are expected to decide Michael Carrick's future in Monaco on Wednesday, and sources say he is likely to be relieved of his duties in the next 48 hours. That is not the language of a manager heading into a long stay. It is the language of a club preparing to move on.
And frankly, it is hard to argue with the mood of the moment. United are 18th in the Premier League after one win in their first 10 games, which is the sort of run that strips away any patience very quickly. Carrick was pictured arriving at Carrington on Wednesday, but that does not soften the reality: this is a club in urgent need of a reset, and the decision in Monaco looks set to confirm it.
United's next move is already taking shape
If Carrick does go, the obvious question is who comes next. Mauricio Pochettino is the name hovering over all of this, and United's history with him is well established. They spoke to him in 2018 when Jose Mourinho was sacked, again in 2022 before appointing Erik ten Hag, and once more in 2024 when Ten Hag was dismissed. That is not random background noise. It is a clear sign that United have long viewed him as a serious option.
There is one obvious complication: Pochettino is currently USA manager and signed his contract with US Soccer in August 2024. That means any move would require him to be released from that agreement before he could walk into Old Trafford. In other words, even if United want the same man again, this is not a simple or immediate appointment.
US Soccer also cancelled planned media with players on Thursday, citing a clash with Veterans Day, while the USA are due to play a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarter-final against Haiti over the next week. That timetable matters because it underlines the reality of the situation: United's search cannot be viewed in isolation. If they want Pochettino, they will have to wait for the practical barriers to clear.
So, is Michael Carrick about to be sacked? The honest answer is that all signs point to yes. Nothing is official yet, but when a meeting in Monaco is expected to settle a manager's future within 48 hours, the writing is already on the wall. And for Manchester United, the bigger story is not just Carrick's exit. It is whether they can finally turn all this familiar Pochettino talk into an actual appointment.
