Man Utd's treatment of Carrick is 'disgusting', says furious Neville

The way Manchester United have conducted themselves regarding Michael Carrick's sacking is "disgusting", according to Gary Neville.

Carrick's dismissal was announced by the club on Thursday, with the Red Devils guaranteed to spend the international break in the Premier League's relegation zone.

With Crystal Palace also sacking their head coach Pierre Sage, it is just the second instance of two managers leaving Premier League clubs on the same day, after Gary O'Neil and Russell Martin were sacked by Wolves and Southampton respectively on December 15, 2024.

United's eight points after 10 games are their fewest at this stage of a league season since 1986-87 (also eight), when they appointed Alex Ferguson as their new manager in November.

And though Neville is broadly positive about United's impending appointment of former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino, he does not agree with the way Carrick's departure was handled.

Key figures in the INEOS regime reportedly met in Monaco to discuss Carrick's sacking on Wednesday, while the former midfielder was taking training back at Carrington, and talks with the United States Soccer Federation over Pochettino were already believed to be advanced by the time his exit was announced. 

"After the Bournemouth game, I said Manchester United effectively watched Michael Carrick resign on the pitch at the end of the game with that lap around, that wave goodbye," Neville told Sky Sports.

"I think he was expecting it to come at that point and they were indecisive. 

"They obviously felt that they might be able to get to the international break and there could be some sort of pick-up in results, but it's been a difficult two weeks. 

"It's been indecision, a lack of authority... just basically really poor leadership.

"In the last 24 to 48 hours, it's been spectacularly bad to be in Monaco as an executive and an owner while your manager, who is a club legend, is taking training on the pitch, and you're simultaneously approaching the US Soccer Federation to approach Mauricio Pochettino.

"It's just quite simply disgusting. That falls well below the standard of what you would expect in any other business, in any other industry. It would be constructive dismissal, and you'd be getting sued. I don't think anybody comes out of this well at all."

Should Pochettino take the job, his first game in charge will be a daunting trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on November 22, with a Champions League clash with Sporting CP to follow three days later.