Does Man United's coach matter? Could Jurgen Klopp reach Premier League glory at Old Trafford?

Ryan O'Hanlon Nov 6, 2026, 06:02 AM ET Close Ryan O'Hanlon is a staff writer for ESPN. He's also the author of "Net Gains: Inside the Beautiful Game's Analytics Revolution.

Multiple Authors Right around this time every year, you can start to feel it. The air gets a little crisper.

The shadows get a little colder. The tree colors start to pop.

Pumpkins appear in places where they do and do not belong. Everyone and everything starts to shift, just slightly, in preparation for what's about to happen.

The cycles of nature can be fickle and unpredictable, so the date is never exactly the same, and some years come and go without anything at all. Our tiny little rituals prime us to anticipate the inevitable, oncoming shift: that moment when Manchester United fire their manager and convince themselves that the new guy is finally going to be the one who fixes everything.

Ruben Amorim lost his job last January. Erik ten Hag was fired two years ago, right before Halloween.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got the boot just a couple of days before Thanksgiving. And Jose Mourinho was relieved of his duties a little over a week before Christmas.

Now that we've once again entered the season of sacking, Michael Carrick seems like he will inevitably become the latest victim. Man United are clear of the relegation zone on goal differential alone.

If history is any indication, theircomeback against AS Romain the Champions League will end up being meaningless. Before Tuesday's win, Carrick appeared to be on the verge of tears at the end of every match."