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| Jose Mourinho |
Manchester United have sacked manager Jose Mourinho, the club have announced.
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The 55-year-old, appointed in May 2016, won the League Cup and Europa League in his first season in charge, but leaves the club after a dismal start to the season culminating in the 3-1 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.
"Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect,” a statement read.
"We would like to thank him for his work during his time at Manchester United and wish him success in the future.”
"A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
Michael Carrick, who joined the club's coaching staff last summer following his retirement, will assume the role of interim manager.
The 37-year-old former England international will be assisted by Kieran McKenna until the club can appoint an external caretaker manager, a process that is expected to be completed within 48 hours.
In January this year, United handed Mourinho a contract extension until 2020 but currently sit sixth in the table, some 19 points behind league leaders Liverpool, and 11 points off Chelsea in fourth position - their haul of 26 points from 17 games represents the club's worst start to a season since 1990-91.
Signs of trouble were brewing even before the start of the season, amid reports of Mourinho falling out with players and the board of directors for failing to grant him his transfer wishlist.
The fact that it was Mourinho's infamous 'third season' in charge of a club was both an ominous sign and a self-fulfilling prophecy. Manchester United suffered a horrible first-half to a season that saw them fall 19 points off the Premier League summit after 17 games, and a further 11 points adrift of Chelsea in a Champions League spot.
The demoralising 3-1 away loss to Liverpool on Sunday was the final nail in the coffin for Manchester United and they dismissed Mourinho just 48 hours later. However, his early-season dismissal will produce a big dent in their bank account due to several clauses and factors.
Stranded in sixth place with no chance of challenging Man City or Liverpool for the title and just a distant shot of finishing in the top four, Mourinho was finally dismissed from his post.
ODDS TO BECOME NEXT PERMANENT MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER
Mauricio Pochettino 2/1
Zinedine Zidane 4/1
Laurent Blanc 5/1
Leonardo Jardim 9/1
Michael Carrick 10/1
Antonio Conte 12/1
Ryan Giggs 12/1
Guus Hiddink
Arsene Wenger 20/1
Eddie Howe 20/1
Diego Simeone 20/1
THE TIMELINE OF MOURINHO’S DOWNFALL
19 MAY
United lose FA Cup final 1-0 to Chelsea, ending the season without a trophy for first time in three years.
19 AUGUST
Defeat in second game of new Premier League season 3-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion.
27 AUGUST
Mourinho sees his side lose 3-0 to Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, the biggest home defeat of his career. Complains about 'respect' to media after the game.
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