Carrick the fall guy for deeper problems at Man Utd

For the first time in 40 years, the 20-time English champions find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone at this stage of the season.

Carrick was handed the job on a permanent basis fewer than six months ago after revitalising the team following the acrimonious departure of Ruben Amorim in January.

Under the 45-year-old, then operating as interim boss, United finished third in the Premier League, securing a return to the Champions League after two seasons away.

But the optimism quickly vanished at the start of this season and for the third consecutive campaign, woeful results have forced United into a mid-season managerial change.

The Red Devils have won just three of their opening 15 games in all competitions.

Carrick joins David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag and Amorim among the managers who have struggled to arrest United's overall decline, despite the occasional trophy, since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

The Scot stepped down after collecting his 13th Premier League winner's medal, at the end of a period of dominance in English football and European success.

Now United, almost unbelievably, find themselves in a battle just to stay in the English top flight, where they have been ever-present for more than 50 years.

USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino -- the hot favourite to replace Carrick -- faces the task of uniting a deeply divided club on and off the pitch.

United captain Bruno Fernandes was dropped last month after he criticised Carrick's tactics following a 4-1 humbling by Como.

And defender Lisandro Martinez took a public swipe at the United hierarchy for not doing more to strengthen the squad in the summer transfer window.

Carrick's role as a player in the glory days under Ferguson meant he retained support among the fanbase despite a string of substandard displays.

-Blame game-

The anger of the supporters is instead firmly directed towards the club's owners, whom they hold responsible for overseeing United's slide.

Despite fierce and persistent protests over two decades, the US-based Glazer family still hold a majority stake in the club, which Malcolm Glazer bought via a leveraged takeover in 2005, saddling United with huge debts.

Any hopes that the arrival of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe as a minority owner in 2024 would signal a new dawn have since faded.

Ratcliffe, founder and chairman of industrial giant INEOS, has overseen cost-cutting measures, including widespread redundancies, and hiked up ticket prices, but the club's debt has still soared above £1.1 billion ($1.46 billion).

Former United captain Gary Neville has lamented the "inept" ownership and leadership of his boyhood club.

The Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST), meanwhile, issued a statement following Carrick's dismissal pinning the blame for poor results firmly on the ownership.

"The Glazers' debt-funded takeover continues to burden the club," MUST said in a statement. "When INEOS came in they promised sporting excellence, but yet with repeated changes in football leadership we have seen anything but.

"It is time for the owners to explain themselves and show some accountability."

Another huge issue is the future of Old Trafford. The biggest club stadium in English football now looks tired and outdated.

Plans for a new 100,000-seater venue have not been universally welcomed and it remains unclear how that project would be financed.

"We don't want a new stadium, we want new owners," read a banner at Sunday's chaotic 4-4 draw at home to Aston Villa, which proved to be Carrick's last game in charge.

"You can keep changing the manager and thinking that's going to be the answer," said Neville. "(If) you've not got leadership that is strong right through the spine of the football club you will fail."

United last dropped out of the top division in 1974. They cannot afford to let it happen again.