Manchester United have sacked Michael Carrick following their worst start to a Premier League season, with the former midfielder paying the price for a disastrous opening to the 2026-27 campaign.

The Red Devils were expected to build on last season's encouraging third-place finish after Carrick guided them back into the Champions League, but their performances have deteriorated dramatically since the summer.

Sunday's 4-4 draw against Aston Villa proved the final straw for the club's hierarchy, with United having collected just eight points from their opening 10 league matches to leave them 18th in the table.

Their solitary victory during that period represents a particularly concerning statistic for a club of their stature, especially considering that they had finished the previous campaign among the Premier League's top three.

Carrick's dismissal has therefore brought renewed attention to the club's historical struggles, with the 2026-27 campaign now ranking as their worst opening to a Premier League season after nine matches.

While United have endured difficult starts in previous campaigns, their current situation is particularly alarming given the resources available to the club and their expectations of competing for Champions League qualification.

Here, Sports Mole looks at Manchester United's five worst starts to a Premier League season, examining the results, circumstances and eventual outcomes of those campaigns.

1. 2026-27 – Seven points after nine games

Manchester United's current campaign sits at the bottom of this unwanted ranking, with Carrick's team collecting just seven points from their opening nine Premier League matches before the situation deteriorated further against Aston Villa.

Their only victory during that period came against Ipswich Town, while draws against Everton, Fulham, Tottenham and Leeds exposed their inability to turn promising situations into maximum points.

Defeats against Hull City, Manchester City, Bournemouth and Chelsea further increased the pressure on Carrick, whose team struggled to establish any consistency in their performances.

The 1-1 draw against 10-man Tottenham was particularly frustrating, while their inability to secure three points against Aston Villa despite scoring four goals demonstrated the defensive problems that had undermined their campaign.

United eventually reached 10 matches with eight points, leaving them 18th in the table and prompting the hierarchy to dismiss Carrick on November 12.

According to Opta Analyst, this is their worst start to a Premier League season, with the previous lowest return being 10 points after nine matches in 2019-20.

2. 2019-20 – 10 points after nine games

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer endured a difficult opening to his first full season as Manchester United manager, with the Norwegian struggling to build on the optimism generated during his initial caretaker spell.

United collected only 10 points from their first nine Premier League matches, winning two, drawing four and losing three, with their problems in front of goal becoming increasingly apparent.

Their campaign included disappointing draws against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Southampton and West Ham United, while a 2-0 defeat against West Ham at the London Stadium left Solskjaer facing growing criticism.

A 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Old Trafford on October 20 offered some encouragement, although United subsequently lost against Bournemouth before returning to winning ways against Norwich City.

Solskjaer ultimately survived the difficult opening and guided United to a third-place finish, collecting 66 points from 38 matches and securing Champions League qualification.

3. 2024-25 – 11 points after nine games

Erik ten Hag's third season at Old Trafford began disappointingly, with Manchester United collecting just 11 points from their opening nine Premier League fixtures.

The Red Devils won three, drew two and lost four of those matches, with their performances raising serious questions about Ten Hag's ability to deliver consistent improvement.

A 3-0 home defeat against Liverpool in September was particularly damaging, while subsequent losses against Tottenham and West Ham United increased the pressure on the Dutchman.

United also struggled to score consistently, with their attacking approach lacking the organisation and effectiveness required to compete with the leading sides.

The 2-1 defeat against West Ham on October 27 proved to be Ten Hag's final match, with the club dismissing him the following day.

He departed with United sitting 14th in the table, having collected just 11 points from nine matches, and was replaced by Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim.

4. 2014-15 – 13 points after nine games

David Moyes's successor, Louis van Gaal, also experienced a difficult introduction to life at Manchester United, with the Dutchman taking over following the club's disastrous seventh-place finish under the Scot.

Despite arriving with an impressive managerial reputation and having guided the Netherlands to the World Cup semi-finals in Brazil, Van Gaal struggled to establish consistency during his first few months.

United won three, drew four and lost two of their opening nine Premier League matches, collecting 13 points as their defensive problems continued from the previous campaign.

A 5-3 defeat against Leicester City in September was particularly damaging, with United surrendering a two-goal advantage against the newly promoted Foxes.

However, Van Gaal gradually improved the team's performances, with victories against Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Liverpool helping them secure fourth place with 70 points.

Although his first season was far from convincing, he restored Champions League football before eventually being dismissed in May 2016, shortly after winning the FA Cup.

5. 2023-24 – 15 points after nine games

Ten Hag's second season at Manchester United also began with considerable difficulties, despite the Dutchman having guided the club to a third-place finish and Carabao Cup success during his first campaign.

United won five and lost four of their opening nine Premier League matches, collecting 15 points, with their performances suggesting that the progress made previously had begun to stall.

A 3-1 defeat against Arsenal was followed by losses against Brighton and Bayern Munich, while a 3-0 home defeat against Manchester City further exposed the gap between United and the Premier League's leading teams.

Although they subsequently recovered to finish eighth with 60 points, their lowest Premier League position at the time, Ten Hag's future remained uncertain.

He was eventually dismissed in October 2024 following another disappointing opening to the following campaign, with the club deciding that a change was necessary after failing to see sufficient progress.