Who Rises and Who Falls After Man Utd Pulls the Plug on Michael Carrick

Manchester United have once again found themselves trapped in a familiar pattern in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, parting ways with yet another manager who initially showed great potential.

Michael Carrick's no-nonsense approach worked brilliantly at Old Trafford after he took over from Ruben Amorim at the beginning of 2026. Carrick, a beloved figure at the Theatre of Dreams due to his decorated playing career with the club, brought back fan favorites and skillfully built the team around United's talisman, Bruno Fernandes, steering the club back into Champions League contention.

No side accumulated more Premier League points following Carrick's appointment as interim manager than United, who went on to finish third.

His impressive showing left INEOS with little option but to hand Carrick the role on a permanent basis, even with the acknowledgment that 2026–27 would prove considerably more challenging, with a heavier fixture schedule and elevated expectations.

Few, however, anticipated such a catastrophic collapse. United's campaign is barely two and a half months in, yet it already feels largely irrelevant. It won't be long before the unthinkable prospect of relegation becomes a genuine concern.

Things fell apart swiftly for Carrick at this most thankless of posts. Here is a look at the winners and losers from United's latest managerial exit.