Three top contenders to be next Man United manager with Ruben Amorim sack coming
Ruben Amorim appears closer than ever to the Man United sack after his side collapsed against Brentford.
United‘s 2-1 win over Chelsea on September 20 signalled the opportunity for the Portuguese manager to finally claim his first back-to-back wins in the Premier League against Brentford.
Instead, a series of errors from the likes of Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes gave the Bees the opportunity to take control of the match, and Keith Andrews‘ side made no mistake, running out 3-1 victors.
And with the walls closing in on Ruben Amorim at Man United, here are three managers who would be perfect to immediately replace the struggling Portuguese boss.
Oliver Glasner
Football Insider previously detailed how the Liverpool game was Oliver Glasner’s audition for the Man United job, and the Austrian manager passed with flying colours.
Crystal Palace scored a 98th-minute winner against the reigning champions of England, despite conceding a late equaliser in which Mohamed Salah appeared to handle the ball.
The Eagles are now the only team in the division who are yet to lose, despite losing their best player in Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in the summer.
Glasner has proven himself capable of thriving in a difficult environment, and the Austrian would be the perfect man to steady the ship at Old Trafford.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has been perennially linked with the Man United job, and whilst his experience in club management is limited, he should not be scoffed at as a serious choice to replace Amorim.
Whilst the other two names on this list trump the former England manager when it comes to Premier League experience, neither can hold a candle to the pressure Southgate has survived.
Nor can Silva or Glasner claim to have managed, and largely succeeded, with a group of players who are expected to not just compete in the biggest competitions, but to win them also.
Southgate has been biding his time after leaving the England job, waiting for the right role, and whilst he rejected United previously, the appeal of fixing one of world football’s greatest institutions and a return to management may appeal to the softly-spoken 55-year-old.
Marco Silva
Marco Silva was linked with the Tottenham job this summer before Thomas Frank took over, whilst Juventus and Al-Hilal both tried, and failed, to pry the Portuguese boss away from West London.
However, the ex-Everton boss is frustrated at Fulham due to a lack of investment in the playing squad and has entered the last year of his contract with no signs of an extension in the offing.
Before he was let go, Dan Ashworth suggested Silva‘s name as an Erik ten Hag replacement, and the Portuguese boss’ ability to get the best out of players who have been passed over or discarded by other teams highlights his capabilities when it comes to squeezing every last drop of talent out of his squad.
Silva steadfastly encourages his players to play to their strengths, adapting and developing his tactics based on the opponents his Fulham side are facing, which was one of the main reasons that the Cottagers were able to claim wins over Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea, and Arsenal last season.