Carrick thanks Manchester United fans in statement after sacking

Michael Carrick has thanked Manchester United's players and supporters in his first public statement since being sacked as head coach, insisting he wants "nothing but success" for the club, Metro Football reports.

Carrick was dismissed on Thursday, with Mauricio Pochettino officially unveiled as his replacement in the Old Trafford dugout on Friday afternoon.

The 45-year-old had returned to United in January following Ruben Amorim's departure, initially on an interim basis until the end of last season. According to Independent Sport, he won 12 of his first 17 matches in interim charge.

United's form in that period persuaded the club's hierarchy to hand Carrick a permanent two-year contract in May. Metro Football reports that no side in the Premier League collected more points than United's 36 across that stretch following his arrival.

This season brought a sharp reversal. United have won only once in ten Premier League games, leaving the club 18th in the table, Metro Football reports, with Independent Sport describing the position as inside the relegation zone. Yahoo Sports described it as the club's worst-ever start to a top-flight campaign, with Carrick leaving the post just five months after signing his permanent deal.

Supporters had continued to back Carrick through the slump, directing their frustration at the players and ownership rather than the head coach. Both Metro Football and Independent Sport note that fans kept chanting his name in support even as results worsened.

Carrick chose to address those supporters directly, publishing a letter on Instagram rather than a standard club statement. He opened by describing the scale of the job he had held.

"Dear United fans, I've had the immense privilege of leading Manchester United, the football club that I love," he wrote, according to Yahoo Sports.

"There are very few who get to live that and feel it, and for that I'm incredibly grateful," he continued, before adding of the role: "It's different to anywhere else."

Independent Sport reports that Carrick described United's supporters as a "rare breed" in the letter, and said he felt "grateful" and "privileged" to have led the club.

Yahoo Sports reports that Carrick said his "love" for Manchester United "never dies", and that he hoped for "nothing but success" for those left at Old Trafford, while Metro Football reports he said he had "wanted to give something back" to the club during his time in charge.

Pochettino now takes over a United side sitting in the bottom three of the Premier League after ten rounds of fixtures, with the task of reversing a run that cost his predecessor the job despite the backing of the club's supporters.