Manchester United are expected to sack Michael Carrick following internal meetings at the club, according to GIVEMESPORT sources, with three managers emerging as the leading options to replace the 45-year-old at Old Trafford.

Carrick was probably seconds away from an almost immediate dismissal on Sunday, before Patrick Dorgu's 96th-minute equaliser rescued a point in their dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada held talks over the former Middlesbrough boss' future on Monday, and GMS understands that they will present their recommendation that Carrick should be sacked to Sir Jim Ratcliffe in a meeting in Monaco on Tuesday.

The draw against Unai Emery's men wasn't enough to take the Red Devils out of the Premier League relegation zone, and they have still tasted victory just once in the top flight this term, at home to newly-promoted Ipswich Town on August 30.

It appears as though Wilcox and Berrada haven't seen enough improvement in recent matches, after giving Carrick a stay of execution following the successive defeats against Como and Bournemouth last month.

Should Carrick be sacked in the next hours or days, then attentions will turn to who is going to replace the 45-year-old in the Old Trafford dugout.

• May 2026 — Carrick named permanent United boss on two-year deal after securing Champions League return.
• August 2026 — United opened the season with a 2-0 defeat at newly promoted Hull City.
• September 2026 — Derby loss to Manchester City, followed by Carabao Cup exit against Brighton.
• October 2026 — Como thrashed United 4-1, then Chelsea defeat extended winless run to nine.
• November 2026 — Carrick expected to be sacked after 4-4 draw with Aston Villa.

With Aston Villa's Unai Emery set to sign a new contract to stay at Villa Park, and Brighton and Hove Albion's Fabian Hurzeler having no intention of leaving the club right now, Mauricio Pochettino, Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann are emerging as three leading contenders for the job.

Howe and Nagelsmann are free agents after leaving their jobs with Newcastle United and the Germany national team respectively in the summer, although around £3m in compensation would be due for the former.

Pochettino, meanwhile, is in charge of the United States national team, although GMS understands he has a release clause approaching $10m (approximately £7m) in the contract he recently extended.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss is open to taking the job, having been a candidate for the role previously.

Pochettino a Better Option Than Carrick

While United's summer recruitment may not have helped Carrick out, with the club focusing on bringing in three new central midfielders and no work done on the defence, their performances have been nowhere near the level they were at in the first half of this year.

The 45-year-old has also had to deal with off-field distractions involving JJ Gabriel, Lisandro Martinez and his captain Bruno Fernandes, who openly criticised his tactics following the loss to Como.

Carrick has done an admirable job at Old Trafford over the last 10 months, but it has become increasingly obvious that a change is needed, and Pochettino is an upgrade on him.

The Argentine may only have one major trophy to his name during his managerial career, but his work at Tottenham was admired, and he did take them to a Champions League final.

He got the likes of Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min and Dele Alli firing, which made Spurs one of the most attractive teams to watch in terms of style of play and energy.

The game has changed and evolved even since then, but Pochettino has built plenty of experience, including in his latest job.

It's long been felt that he still has a point to prove as a Premier League manager after his spell at Chelsea didn't work out, and United clearly view him as a leading contender.

His appointment would have the seal of approval of Sir Alex Ferguson, who has been full of praise for the 54-year-old in the past.

He said: "Well, the manager has been fantastic. They have a bad record of managers, there is no doubt about that.

They have had so many over the years, but this lad has composure. You never see him ruffled and the way his team play is a testimony to the work he is doing.

"The most important thing for English football is how many English and young players are in his team. He understands the advantage of playing young people. They won't let you down and they have been fantastic. [Dele] Alli, [Harry] Kane, [Ryan] Mason, [Danny] Rose, [Eric] Dier, all English players. [Kyle] Walker, the right back, although he has been there for a bit longer."

Pochettino is known for getting the best out of the players at his disposal, and that is exactly what United need right now.

He also built a strong team and identity during his time in charge of Tottenham specifically, and if he is the man to replace Carrick at Old Trafford, the expectation will be that he does the same.