Michael Carrick future: the Monday meeting at Carrington
The Michael Carrick future remains unresolved as Manchester United's first-team squad is scheduled to return to training at Carrington on Tuesday. Whether Carrick takes that session is not confirmed.
Carrick was at the training base on Monday to watch the club's U21s play Hull City in a behind-closed-doors game. The first-team players had a scheduled day off.
Chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox also met at Carrington on Monday. Their talks focused on next steps after Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford. Sir Jim Ratcliffe sits within the hierarchy that will decide.
The Bournemouth defeat and the Fernandes call
Carrick dropped captain Bruno Fernandes to the bench for the Bournemouth match. The background: Fernandes had questioned Carrick's tactics during the 4-1 Champions League loss to Como.
United then lost 3-0 at home. The result extended the club's winless run to eight games across all competitions.
Sixteenth place and a worst-ever start
United are 16th in the Premier League with seven points from seven games. That leaves them one point adrift of the relegation zone, and it is the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League season.
The current record sits against a different baseline. Carrick was appointed in January 2026 on a contract until the end of that season, following Ruben Amorim's sacking earlier in the campaign. He won 12 of 17 matches, delivered a third-place finish and a return to the Champions League, was nominated for Premier League Manager of the Season, and signed a new contract to 2028 in May.
Why the club has not acted quickly
Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett said the absence of swift action points to two possible explanations.
"Probably the most likely is Man Utd's bosses are taking their time to consider who they want as a replacement," Dorsett said. "The worst-case scenario for Man Utd would be if they sacked Michael Carrick and the person they went for didn't want the job or they couldn't agree a deal with them and they were left in limbo for days, possibly weeks."
Dorsett added that clubs routinely line up a replacement before removing the incumbent. His second explanation concerns the support base.
"They are very conscious - and it was made clear to them at Old Trafford - just how popular Michael Carrick is among the Man Utd support," he said. "The club wanted to make sure it ended amicably... they want this done humanely and respectfully. If they don't, the backlash from supporters could be even stronger."
Dorsett referenced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's 2021 departure as the precedent the club is weighing.
What to watch on Tuesday
Three checkpoints sit on the same grid. First, whether Carrick arrives at Carrington to run the session. Second, whether Berrada and Wilcox settle on a replacement before any announcement. Third, whether the club confirms a decision at all, or leaves the position open through the training week.
The original report is from skysports.com.
