IT’S a huge week for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United.
Last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Newcastle was yet another devastating blow for the Dutchman.
United sit rock bottom of their Champions League group with one game remaining after failing to hold on to 2-0 leads against Galatasaray and Copenhagen.
Pressure is mounting on Ten Hag and the bookies are already speculating over his replacement.
United host an inconsistent Chelsea side on Wednesday night, while Bournemouth will travel to Manchester on Saturday.
After that they face Bayern Munich as they battle against the odds to keep their Champions League dream alive.
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A defeat to Chelsea will make it their sixth defeat at Old Trafford this season.
And losses in either of the two games following that could bring the end to Ten Hag’s current one-year employment.
SunSport are taking a look at FIVE managers that could potentially come in should the Dutchman – who faces Liverpool away if he gets through those three games – get axed.
Zinedine Zidane
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Zidane has been out of work since ending his second stint in charge of Real Madrid in 2021.
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The French icon won two La Liga titles and three successive Champions Leagues during his time at the Bernabeu.
He told GQ in the summer: “I feel refreshed now. There is nothing better than talking to a player before a match. I need that.”
He has previously been linked with the Man Utd job, but claimed he would struggle to reside in England for linguistic reasons.
Zidane definitely has the calibre to go into the United dressing room and command respect from their underperforming talents.
The bookies currently have him as the favourite.
Roberto De Zerbi
There is no doubt – the current Brighton boss is the dream candidate for many Manchester United fans.
De Zerbi guided his side into the Europa League for the first time in their history in his inaugural season.
The Seagulls have shown when letting Graham Potter go to Chelsea that for the right price they will allow their manager to leave.
The Red Devils would surely be forced to pay a mammoth fee to get De Zerbi.
It seems only a matter of time before De Zerbi arrives at a Champions League club, with journalist Dean Jones revealing that the Italian is a contender to take over when Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City.
United may have to act fast before the opportunity to bag one of Europe’s most promising managers passes them by.
Julian Nagelsmann
Nagelsmann impressed at RB Leipzig sufficiently enough to earn himself the Bayern Munich job in 2021.
He was then ruthlessly sacked by Bayern, despite the club being on course to win the Bundesliga and with them still in the Champions League.
The 36-year-old has recently been appointed as Germany coach to guide his nation through Euro 2024.
He is currently the bookie’s third favourite to replace Ten Hag.
Graham Potter
Potter is second favourite to become the club’s next fall guy.
SunSport exclusively revealed that the Englishman is a candidate should Ten Hag get sacked.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his chiefs are set to take control of football decisions when he completes his 25 per cent purchase of the club.
The billionaire and his partner Sir Dave Brailsford are big fans of Potter and they once wanted him in charge of Nice.
Napoli are said to be interested too.
But he has already failed at one big club going through an ownership change after getting sacked by Chelsea in April.
Michael Carrick
The Manchester United legend worked alongside both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during their stints in charge.
He impressed during his brief spell as United’s interim manger but left after Ralf Rangnick came in and has started his own career in management at Middlesbrough.
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The 42-year-oldimpressed in the Championship with an exciting brand of football as he led Boro to the play-offs last season.
But after a flying start this season, Boro now sit 12th in the table, so it seems like a leap to expect him sort out the turbulence at United.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
