The man Michael Carrick beat to the Manchester United job has revealed what he told the board about the former Red Devils midfielder, who looks set to be sacked this week

Michael Carrick's time in charge at Manchester United appears to be nearing an end, with the manager widely expected to be sacked before the week is out.

It's a remarkable turnaround from just a few months ago, when Carrick was enjoying an impressive interim spell in the Old Trafford dugout. Appointed in January following Ruben Amorim's departure, he oversaw a significant improvement in results after United's inconsistent start to the campaign, ultimately guiding them to Champions League qualification.

His success vindicated United's decision to appoint him ahead of ex-boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was also a contender to replace Amorim. The former team-mates were understood to be the leading candidates, with the club eventually opting to hand Carrick the reins.

Despite the obvious competition for such a coveted position, there was no apparent animosity between the pair. Instead, their long-standing relationship remained intact, with Solskjaer choosing to highlight Carrick's virtues to the Old Trafford boardroom, rather than trying to outmanoeuvre him.

"It was a very special period. Of course it was. It was special in many ways," Solskjaer said of on going head-to-head with his former assistant to Norwegian outlet TV2.

"When I spoke to United, I also boasted about Michael. 'If you choose him, you will get a good man,' I said. I think he did the same to me."

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According to Solskjaer, neither candidate treated the position as a life-or-death pursuit, approaching the hierarchy's pitch with measured loyalty rather than relentless self-promotion.

Carrick ultimately won the race, with the board betting successfully on his ability to galvanise a team struggling for form and tactical identity. But with results unravelling this season, the axe is now poised to fall.

United have won just one of their opening 10 Premier League matches and are 18th in the table. The team produced a memorable comeback in a chaotic 4-4 draw against Aston Villa on Sunday, but the euphoria of Patrick Dorgu's last-gasp leveller didn't last long.

On Monday, it emerged that United were preparing to sack Carrick following a meeting between chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox. On Wednesday, the pair met with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco to finalise Carrick's dismissal.

United now appear to be turning to Mauricio Pochettino, who is currently manager of the United States men's national team. The Argentine, who has long been linked with the Old Trafford hotseat, is reportedly keen to take the job, and it's understood that a deal to appoint him is close to being agreed.

For Carrick, it marks a brutal and swift fall from grace just months after guiding the club back to Europe's top table. And while Solskjaer was happy to put his former team-mate's interests ahead of his own, Carrick's impending departure serves as a reminder of just how fleeting success can be at Manchester United.