The former midfielder was given the responsibility of leading the club into a new era after an impressive interim spell helped secure Champions League qualification last season. His permanent appointment, however, has not delivered the expected stability.
Carrick was dismissed on Thursday, November 12, after United’s disappointing start to the 2026/27 campaign left them in the Premier League relegation zone.
The club confirmed his departure in an official statement, saying it had reached the conclusion that a change was necessary to achieve its ambitions.
His exit makes him the seventh permanent managerial appointment to lose the job since Ferguson retired in May 2013. Across that period, 11 different individuals have taken charge of the first team, including interim and caretaker appointments.
Despite the succession of managers, United have not won another Premier League title. Their post-Ferguson trophy collection includes five major honours: one FA Cup under Louis van Gaal, three trophies under José Mourinho and two domestic cups under Erik ten Hag.
Here is how the managers have fared.
David Moyes (July 2013 – April 2014)
Record: 51 matches | 27 wins | 9 draws | 15 defeats | 52.9% win rate
David Moyes inherited a Manchester United side that had just won the Premier League title under Ferguson. He was selected as the Scot’s successor and handed a six-year contract, but lasted only 10 months.
His first competitive match brought a Community Shield victory over Wigan Athletic, but the promising beginning was not followed by consistent performances.
United finished seventh in the Premier League, their lowest position at the time, and failed to qualify for the Champions League. Their run to the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite competition, where they were eliminated by Bayern Munich, offered one of the few positives.
Moyes was dismissed on April 22, 2014, with four league matches remaining.
Ryan Giggs (April – May 2014, caretaker)
Record: 4 matches | 2 wins | 1 draw | 1 defeat | 50% win rate
Club legend Ryan Giggs took temporary charge following Moyes’ dismissal, combining his playing responsibilities with the managerial role.
He collected seven points from his four Premier League matches, including victories over Norwich City and Hull City.
United eventually finished seventh with 64 points, confirming a disappointing end to their first season without Ferguson.
Louis van Gaal (July 2014 – May 2016)
Record: 103 matches | 54 wins | 25 draws | 24 defeats | 52.4% win rate
Louis van Gaal arrived with considerable experience, having managed the Netherlands at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
His first season brought a fourth-place finish and a return to the Champions League. United collected 70 points, giving supporters hope that the club was beginning to recover from the disruption of Ferguson’s departure.
The following campaign was less convincing. United finished fifth with 66 points, scored only 49 league goals and were eliminated from the Champions League at the group stage.
Van Gaal did, however, deliver the club’s first major trophy of the post-Ferguson era by winning the 2016 FA Cup against Crystal Palace.
He was dismissed two days after the Wembley triumph.
José Mourinho (May 2016 – December 2018)
Record: 144 matches | 84 wins | 32 draws | 28 defeats | 58.3% win rate
Mourinho remains the most successful permanent Manchester United manager of the post-Ferguson period when measured by win percentage.
He won three trophies during his first season, lifting the Community Shield, League Cup and Europa League. The European triumph was particularly important as it secured Champions League qualification after United finished sixth in the Premier League.
His second campaign produced the club’s best league finish since Ferguson, with United collecting 81 points to finish second behind Manchester City.
However, the gap between the two sides was still 19 points, and the following season proved difficult.
Mourinho was dismissed on December 18, 2018, following a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool. United were sixth after 17 league matches, and his departure ended a spell that had produced the strongest overall win percentage among Ferguson’s permanent successors.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (December 2018 – November 2021)
Record: 168 matches | 91 wins | 37 draws | 40 defeats | 54.2% win rate
Solskjaer initially arrived as caretaker following Mourinho’s dismissal and quickly made an impression.
He won 14 of his first 19 matches, including a memorable Champions League comeback against Paris Saint-Germain, earning the Norwegian a permanent appointment in March 2019.
United finished sixth in his first full season, third in the next and second in 2020/21, collecting 74 points in their closest approach to a title challenge during the period.
Despite those improvements, Solskjaer failed to win a trophy. United lost four semi-finals during his tenure and were beaten by Villarreal in the 2021 Europa League final on penalties.
The return of Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer of 2021 raised expectations, but a 5-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 4-1 loss against Watford contributed to the end of his spell.
He was dismissed in November 2021.
Michael Carrick (November – December 2021, caretaker)
Record: 3 matches | 2 wins | 1 draw | 0 defeats | 66.7% win rate
Carrick’s first managerial experience at United came immediately after Solskjaer’s departure.
He took charge for three matches, beating Villarreal in the Champions League, drawing with Chelsea and defeating Arsenal 3-2 in the Premier League.
His short spell ended when the club appointed Ralf Rangnick as interim manager. Carrick subsequently left his coaching position at Old Trafford.
Ralf Rangnick (December 2021 – May 2022, interim)
Record: 29 matches | 11 wins | 10 draws | 8 defeats | 37.9% win rate
Rangnick was appointed with the expectation that his tactical philosophy and experience in German football would help United regain their intensity.
However, his team struggled to deliver the pressing football associated with his managerial approach.
United were eliminated from the FA Cup by Middlesbrough and the Champions League by Atlético Madrid, while their Premier League campaign ended with a sixth place finish.
Rangnick collected 58 points in the league during the season, and the consultancy role he was expected to take up afterwards never materialised. He instead became Austria’s national team coach.
Erik ten Hag (May 2022 – October 2024)
Record: 128 matches | 70 wins | 23 draws | 35 defeats | 54.7% win rate
Ten Hag became the first United manager since Ferguson to win trophies in separate seasons.
His debut campaign brought a third-place Premier League finish, 75 points and victory in the League Cup. United also reached the FA Cup final, although they lost to Manchester City.
The following season was considerably more difficult. They finished eighth with 60 points, exited the Champions League at the group stage and struggled for consistency.
An FA Cup final victory over Manchester City provided a major highlight and appeared to strengthen Ten Hag’s position. However, the club eventually dismissed him in October 2024, with United 14th in the league after nine matches.
Ruud van Nistelrooy (October – November 2024, interim)
Record: 4 matches | 3 wins | 1 draw | 0 defeats | 75% win rate
Van Nistelrooy stepped in after Ten Hag’s departure, recording three victories and one draw across four matches.
His unbeaten run included two victories over Leicester City, while he also oversaw a draw against Chelsea.
His 75 per cent win rate remains the highest among the interim and caretaker managers included in the post-Ferguson record.
However, he was not retained when United appointed their next permanent head coach, Ruben Amorim.
Ruben Amorim (November 2024 – January 2026)
Record: 63 matches | 24 wins | 18 draws | 21 defeats | 38.1% win rate
Amorim arrived from Sporting CP with a reputation for an attacking system built around a three-man defence.
His time at Old Trafford, however, became one of the most difficult managerial spells in the club’s recent history.
United finished 15th in the Premier League during the 2024/25 campaign, collecting just 42 points. They also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, missing out on a route back into European competition.
A League Cup exit to fourth-tier Grimsby Town added to the frustration in August 2025.
Despite United sitting sixth when he was dismissed on January 5, 2026, Amorim’s relationship with the club hierarchy had deteriorated, bringing his tenure to an end. His 38.1 per cent win rate was the lowest among the permanent appointments in this comparison.
Darren Fletcher (January 2026, interim)
Record: 2 matches | 0 wins | 1 draw | 1 defeat | 0% win rate
Fletcher was promoted from United’s academy setup to take temporary charge following Amorim’s departure.
His two matches produced a 2-2 Premier League draw against Burnley and an FA Cup defeat to Brighton.
He subsequently returned to his previous role after United appointed Carrick for a second spell.
Michael Carrick (January – November 2026)
Record: 32 matches | 15 wins | 8 draws | 9 defeats | 46.9% win rate
Carrick’s second spell at Old Trafford began with a remarkable turnaround.
Appointed on an interim basis in January 2026, he won 12 of his first 17 Premier League matches, collecting 39 points and guiding United from seventh to third place.
The achievement secured Champions League qualification and earned him a permanent contract in May, with the club placing its confidence in the former midfielder’s ability to build on the progress.
The new campaign, however, proved considerably more difficult.
United managed only three victories in their first 15 matches across all competitions, including just one league win from their opening 10 fixtures. They also suffered a League Cup exit against Brighton and struggled defensively.
A dramatic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa in Carrick’s final match, following a series of disappointing results, left United 18th in the Premier League with eight points.
The club confirmed his departure on November 12, less than six months after handing him a permanent contract.
How the numbers compare
The post-Ferguson managerial record offers an indication of how difficult the job has become at Old Trafford.
Mourinho leads the permanent appointments with a 58.3 per cent win rate, followed by Ten Hag at 54.7 per cent and Solskjaer at 54.2 per cent.
Carrick’s overall 46.9 per cent return places him below those three, but above Amorim and Rangnick in the comparison of win percentages.
Permanent managers and Carrick’s second spell, based on the supplied all-competition records.
| Manager | Win rate |
|---|---|
| José Mourinho | 58.3% |
| Erik ten Hag | 54.7% |
| Ole Gunnar Solskjaer | 54.2% |
| David Moyes | 52.9% |
| Louis van Gaal | 52.4% |
| Michael Carrick | 46.9% |
| Ruben Amorim | 38.1% |
The figures also shows a recurring pattern. Mourinho, Solskjaer and Ten Hag all secured second or third place finishes, but none managed to turn that progress into a sustained Premier League title challenge.
Carrick followed a similar trajectory. His impressive interim spell earned him the permanent job, but the results that followed were not enough to keep him in charge.
More than 13 years after Ferguson’s retirement, Manchester United are still searching for the manager who can bring their domestic dominance back.
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