Manchester United are expected to sack Michael Carrick. The Athletic's David Ornstein reported on Monday night that the club intend to relieve him of his duties, with a change anticipated before the trip to Liverpool on 22 November. United say no final decision has been made. Manchester United fan YouTubers did not wait for one. Seven fan channels reacted overnight so you don't have to.
Carrick on the brink: the news nobody was celebrating
United are 18th with one league win from 10 after Sunday's 4-4 draw with Aston Villa. The Guardian reports that Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada are due to meet Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco on Tuesday to recommend the sacking. Carrick, meanwhile, drove into Carrington at 7.15am on Tuesday, according to the Manchester Evening News. Business as usual, for now.
UnitedStand had wanted Carrick gone for weeks and still refused the victory lap. "I don't think it's a celebration," came the verdict, followed by the line that will follow the board around: "it's ridiculously embarrassing to give somebody a full-time job in May and sack them in November."
UnitedViewTV admitted the timing caught the room cold. "I was like 98% sure Carrick wasn't going to get sacked," the host said, having only just finished a show putting percentages on exactly that. The new manager bounce got short shrift too: "I don't buy it this time."
Wilcox and Berrada: the rooms want two more names on the list
The loudest theme was not Carrick at all. Stretford Paddock put it simply: "We need more than just Michael Carrick to leave the football club." Then, for emphasis: "I want Jason Wilcox gone before Michael Carrick." The worry is that the same people pick the next man, and that "in 18 months we'll be here" again.
Alice Talks Football read the Ornstein report as close to final: "He's 99% sacked." She also counted this as the hierarchy's fourth manager in under three years, and her fear covers any name on the shortlist: "I could see every single manager that we could possibly appoint going wrong because of this board."
UnitedStand went one step further and gave it a scale. "This is like level one. We've got to get up to about level 10."
SaeedTV and the poisoned chalice
SaeedTV usually enjoys a sacking. Not this one. He credited Carrick for last season's run to third, then refused to blame the coach alone: "two things could be right." The owners can be bad and Carrick could be bad at his job. As for whoever walks in next: "It's a poison chalice. It's an absolute death trap."
He also noticed Berrada celebrating the Villa equaliser, the same footage UnitedViewTV had read as a sign Carrick was safe. "It looked like relief," he said. That reading lasted about a day.
Pochettino: the name on every thumbnail
The Athletic says Mauricio Pochettino is expected to figure highly among the candidates, with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann also admired at the club. Nobody has been appointed. KGRecklessSport is already sold, mostly on the grounds that "Relegation in November is beyond madness."
Adikastakes: a Liverpool fan in mourning
The best tribute came from Anfield. Adikastakes, a Liverpool channel, begged United to keep Carrick, mainly because a new coach might bring a bounce into the 22 November fixture. His farewell was generous: "Not the new height, the new depth."
The argument
Almost nobody in these rooms thinks Carrick should stay. Almost nobody thinks sacking him fixes anything. The demand is for the people above him to go too, and the fear is that they will choose his successor. Carrick is still in his training kit at Carrington. The men deciding his future are expected in Monaco.