The real reason why ex-Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick was sacked revealed, as the former Manchester United midfielder leads the race to become the new caretaker head coach at Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s 1–1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road proved to be the final match of Rúben Amorim’s spell in charge of the club.
Speaking in a tense post-match press conference, Amorim expressed his frustration at what he felt was a lack of authority within the role, insisting that he wanted to “be the manager of Manchester United, not the coach of Manchester United,” as well as pointing direct criticism at the likes of Jason Wilcox and Christopher Vivell.
As the club searched for a caretaker manager to oversee the team until the summer, Darren Fletcher was promoted from managing the U-18s to take charge of the senior side against Burnley in the league and Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup, coming away winless from either of the fixtures.
Former United players Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjær were believed to be the leading candidates for the vacant role, with the club set to name the interim appointment within the next two days as the club prepares for the Manchester derby at the weekend.
Carrick leading the race to become interim Man Utd manager
As reported by Manchester World, Manchester United are set to name Michael Carrick as their interim manager until the end of the season, and it would be his second temporary stint in charge of his former club after a three-game stint as a caretaker manager in 2021.
In his most recent job, Carrick was managing Championship side Middlesbrough, but was sacked last summer after a run of poor results towards the end of the 2024/25 league campaign.
He joined the side in October 2022, winning 16 of his opening 23 games to lift the side from 21st to a play-off spot at the end of the season, and in his second season, he guided the club to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
In his final season at the Riverside Stadium, the club finished four points adrift from the play-off places, after the club lost four out of their last six game, and Carrick was ultimately sacked after missing out on a top-six spot.
Real reason behind Carrick’s sacking revealed
Former Everton and Sunderland player Don Hutchinson believes that Steve Gibson, the chairman and owner of the side, didn’t actually want to sack the 44-year-old, but the poor run of form towards the end of the season left him with no choice.
When talking about a potential return to Middlesbrough for Carrick after the club sacked now Wolves manager, Rob Edwards, he said, “No, I think Michael would be a good fit again. I think his relationship with Steve Gibson, the chairman and owner, is a strong one.
“I don’t think Steve Gibson really wanted to sack him, but he sort of had to because of the run of results. I think the two of them are professional enough to make it work again.
“A very steady guy, Michael, I know him really well, still mates with him today. Very steady on and off the pitch.
“Probably, he would have learned a lot from the poor form that he was in that got him the sack, and maybe if he’s going in there again, he might do one or two things a little bit differently. So I think that’d be a very good fit.”
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