Manchester United sack Jose Mourinho

Manchester United sacked manager Jose Mourinho on Tuesday, just days after the club's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool.

"Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect," the club said in a statement.

"The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future."

Michael Carrick will take charge of Tuesday's training session, according to the Guardian's Jamie Jackson. An interim manager is expected to be appointed before the end of the week.

Former United forward Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a leading candidate to take over the club for the remainder of the season, according to The Telegraph's Sam Wallace.

United will almost certainly fail to win the Premier League for the sixth straight season since legendary gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Mourinho is the latest in a growing line of Ferguson's successors who've failed to replicate the success that the Scottish manager enjoyed during his 28 years at Old Trafford.

With just 26 points over their opening 17 matches following Sunday's loss to Liverpool, United's start to the season is the club's worst in 28 years, as Mourinho attracted plenty of criticism for abandoning the club's attacking traditions in favor of a more defensive approach.

The decision to sack the Portuguese manager will cost United £18 million, according to Simon Stone of BBC Sport.

Mourinho's tenure at United began in May 2016 shortly after the dismissal of Louis van Gaal. The club won both the Europa League and the League Cup during the first year of the Portuguese national's tenure.

However, he came under scrutiny after spending nearly £400 million on 11 players who failed to justify their hefty price tags.

United are closer to the bottom of the table than the top, as they sit 19 points adrift of Liverpool compared to the 17-point gap between them and last-place Fulham.