INEOS appointed Michael Carrick as Manchester United head coach in January 2026, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s faith in the former midfielder has been severely tested.

Carrick initially delivered an extraordinary transformation following Ruben Amorim’s dismissal.

United won their opening four Premier League matches under Carrick, defeating Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur.

The former midfielder eventually secured 11 victories from his first 16 league matches, guiding United to third place and Champions League qualification.

Those performances earned Carrick a permanent contract until 2028 in May.

However, his second season has been disastrous.

United have won just two of their opening 13 competitive matches, with the 3-0 humiliation against Bournemouth followed by Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The Red Devils are now 17th in the Premier League, having gone nine consecutive matches without victory.

Many expected Carrick to be dismissed following the Bournemouth defeat, with senior figures reportedly anticipating his departure.

However, INEOS ultimately decided against an immediate managerial change.

United will instead reassess Carrick’s position during November’s international break, with Champions League opponents Roma visiting Old Trafford tonight.

Nevertheless, Ratcliffe’s football operations have now experienced another significant managerial departure.

INEOS officially sack manager

FC Lausanne-Sport have officially confirmed the departure of head coach Luka Elsner following lengthy discussions concerning the club’s sporting situation.

The Swiss club, owned by INEOS since November 2017, announced on Tuesday that both parties had mutually agreed to terminate their collaboration.

Elsner was appointed on 1 June 2026, meaning his departure comes just five months into his tenure.

The Slovenian managed 12 Swiss Super League matches, recording just one victory, three draws and eight defeats.

Lausanne sit bottom of the table with six points, having suffered six consecutive league defeats.

Sunday’s extraordinary 5-4 defeat against Thun proved particularly damaging, with Lausanne surrendering a 4-1 lead after 70 minutes.

Elsner had also overseen two successful rounds of the Swiss Cup, but those results could not compensate for the team’s disastrous league performances.

The departure comes shortly after INEOS appointed advisers to oversee Lausanne-Sport’s proposed sale.

Despite the decision, Lausanne thanked Elsner for his professionalism, commitment and contributions to the coaching staff.

No replacement has been appointed, with the club promising further announcements regarding its sporting structure.