The Sun reports that Carrick was in tears as he said goodbye at the club's training ground on Thursday, after being dismissed following ten months in charge. A source told the newspaper: “[Carrick] was in tears when said goodbye to the lads. He basically said ‘I’ve gone lads’ and shook a few hands, got in his car and left.”
Manchester United confirmed his departure on 12 November after a poor start to the season left them in the Premier League relegation zone. The club have won only once in their first ten league matches and are 18th, with eight points.
Carrick had initially taken charge in January and guided United to third place in the 2025-26 campaign, winning 12 of the remaining 17 matches before receiving a permanent two-year contract in May. The club said his work last season would be remembered, but concluded that a change was necessary after the team's decline.
The Sun claims Carrick continued reporting for work during the international break despite expecting to be dismissed. One source said players were confused by the situation because the manager kept turning up and carrying on with his duties.
The newspaper also reports that players felt Carrick had been let down by chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox during the summer transfer window. According to the report, concerns centred on the balance of the squad, with midfield recruits arriving while the club failed to add cover at left-back or another striker.
A source told The Sun: “There was a meeting and some of the players brought up that the club had brought in three midfielders to replace Case, but done nothing to bolster left back and the striker position. Even Luke Shaw thought it was madness not to bring in some competition, given his age and injury issues.”
The report says the frustration contributed to tensions after Lisandro Martinez criticised the club's recruitment, later apologising for his comments. It also describes disagreements between Carrick and captain Bruno Fernandes over tactical changes introduced this season by the manager and his assistant, Steve Holland.
A source quoted by the newspaper said: “The players really liked him and wanted to do well with him. Unfortunately, things stopped working and it always ends with the manager losing his job.”
Another source claimed some players felt Carrick had been sold short, while others believed he had not been tough enough. The same report says Carrick had told the squad that recruitment issues would be addressed in January.
United are now moving towards appointing Mauricio Pochettino, with Sky Sports reporting an agreement in principle with the current United States head coach. Carrick's dismissal is the latest change in a turbulent period since Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.