Manchester United have sacked manager Jose Mourinho after two-and-a-half years in charge. The news was announced through a tweet on Tuesday morning.
The Red Devils have struggled in the league this season, earning just 26 points out of a possible 51. Mourinho’s haul of 26 points from their opening 17 matches is the worst start to a top-flight season United have made since 1990-91. They are 11 points off Champions League qualification, meaning they are closer to the relegation zone than the top of the table.
Cross-city rivals Manchester City have 44, and league-leaders Liverpool have 45. Mourinho’s final match in charge of United was a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.
Mourinho made a fast start to life at Old Trafford, winning the EFL Cup and Europa League in his opening season in 2016-17, but the following season delivered a 2nd place Premier League finish, with Guardiola’s Citizens romping home to take the title by 19 points ahead of the Red Devils. They also crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage at home to Sevilla.
A club statement announced that a caretaker manager would be appointed until the end of the season “while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager”.
It is understood former United midfielder Michael Carrick will take charge of training in the next two days, and any interim appointment will be external, but will be “steeped in the traditions of the club”, according the The Mail Sport. United’s next game comes away to newly-promoted Cardiff City on Saturday teatime, with an interim expected to be announced by the time Pogba and company head to South Wales.
Mourinho had been criticised for a large transfer spend, touching £400 million in his five transfer windows at the club, while not also not providing fans with the attacking football they had become accustomed to under club legend and 13-time Premier League champion Alex Ferguson.
