Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has condemned the club's leadership over its handling of Michael Carrick's dismissal, describing the treatment of the former midfielder as “disgusting”.

Carrick was relieved of his duties as head coach on Thursday following a disappointing start to the 2026/27 season, with the club reportedly reaching an agreement with former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino to replace him.

Neville expressed his displeasure over the manner in which the decision was handled, particularly as Carrick continued to oversee training sessions at the club's Carrington facility while senior executives discussed his future in Monaco.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the former England international accused the club's leadership of indecision and a lack of authority, saying the situation reflected poorly on those responsible for running Manchester United.

He questioned why the club's executives and co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, were in Monaco while Carrick remained in Manchester, unaware of the final decision on his position.

Neville said the treatment fell below acceptable professional standards, arguing that Carrick, as a former player who had served the club with distinction, deserved greater respect.

He acknowledged that the former manager was accountable for the team's poor results but maintained that the circumstances surrounding his departure exposed deeper problems within the club's leadership.

Carrick had been appointed permanently in May after initially taking charge in January following Ruben Amorim's departure. He signed a two-year contract after guiding United to Champions League qualification.

However, the team managed only one victory in its opening 10 Premier League matches this season, leaving it in 18th position with eight points.

Neville said the club's repeated managerial changes over the past 13 years had become exhausting for supporters, adding that the problems extended beyond the individuals appointed to lead the team.

He recalled that several experienced managers, including Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag, had struggled to restore United's former status despite significant investment in players.

The former defender also criticised the club's recruitment strategy, arguing that poor transfer decisions had contributed to the team's continued decline.

He said the appointment of another manager would not automatically resolve the situation without fundamental changes to recruitment, squad building and the club's football operations.

Neville's criticism followed his warning that Pochettino must secure control over recruitment and guarantees of financial backing before accepting the Manchester United job.

He urged the club to address its defensive weaknesses in the January transfer window and provide the incoming manager with the authority needed to rebuild the squad.