Source: @The Evening Standard

The Theatre of Dreams is becoming every Manchester United fan’s biggest nightmare.

After the dramatic parting of ways with Ruben Amorim, it was Michael Carrick’s turn to try something so many managers had failed to do – bring the glory days back to the red half of Manchester.

As one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most faithful student’s, Michael Carrick certainly understands the history, culture, the high standards, the inner fabric and “DNA” of the club. This was evident in the 5-time Premier League winner’s ability to guide the Red Devils to a third-place finish last season and subsequently return to the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Manchester United fans immediately pointed to the then caretaker manager’s incredible impact and argued that they could have won the Premier League had he been in charge from day one.

August 2026 marked a chance to prove this theory; With new leadership, marquee summer signings like Andrey Santos, Carlos Baleba and Youri Tielemans, there was a renewed sense of optimism in the pre-season air. However, fans were sent crashing back down to earth after a disastrous start to the new season. The Red Devils have won only 2 out of their 11 matches across all competitions this season, recording 4 draws and 5 defeats.

Locker room tensions escalated as captain Bruno Fernandes was dropped to the bench in a humbling 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth. This was his punishment for criticizing Carrick after a heavy 4 -1 loss to Como a few days prior.

At the full-time whistle, an emotional Michael Carrick embarked on a full lap of the pitch to thank the crowd. Despite the terrible result and reports of his impending sacking, the remaining Old Trafford faithful loudly sang his name, clapped, and showed their backing for the club legend.

The moment Carrick disappeared down the tunnel, the atmosphere flipped entirely. The fans let out a massive wave of boos directed solely at the players. These passionate fans clearly acknowledge Carrick’s attempts to influence players that simply refuse to put in the necessary work rate.

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, Manchester United has parted ways with 6 permanent managers: David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunner Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. Sacking Michael Carrick would mean Manchester United is on its third managerial change in three seasons and its eighth long-term boss since Sir Alex Ferguson.

Continually replacing the manager strips the club of any architectural continuity. A new coach would inherit this same underperforming squad and start the entire rebuilding process from scratch once again.

The Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe should be the ones to leave.

Michael Carrick should be left alone.