Amid growing pressure on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag after the team’s dismal performance against Manchester City, potential replacements are being considered, with a La Liga legend and a former Chelsea manager among the top contenders.
United faced a devastating 3-0 defeat at the hands of local rivals Manchester City over the weekend, raising questions about Ten Hag’s tenure at Old Trafford.
According to the latest odds, former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane stands as the leading candidate to replace Ten Hag, holding a 4/1 chance, owing to his impressive track record that includes guiding Madrid to three consecutive Champions League titles during his tenure.
Following closely behind is Julian Nagelsmann, the current Germany manager and former Bayern Munich coach, who has been rated at 5/1 for the position. Meanwhile, Graham Potter, a former Chelsea and Brighton boss, is also a contender with odds at 10/1.
Other names in the mix for the potential managerial role include Antonio Conte (16/1), Gareth Southgate (16/1), Diego Simeone (20/1), and Mauricio Pochettino (20/1).
Although facing scrutiny after the City defeat, Manchester United currently sits in eighth place in the Premier League standings, trailing fourth-placed Liverpool by eight points and league leaders Tottenham Hotspur by 11 points.
In response to the mounting speculation about his future, Ten Hag expressed confidence in his team’s upward trajectory despite the recent setback. “The three games before we won, and the spirit is very good, so I think we are on the way up,” Ten Hag remarked, highlighting the positive trend despite the challenging start.
Asserting the closeness of the matches against City, he emphasized the team’s potential for success, mentioning, “For chances, it was very toe-to-toe, and also in the previous games against them in the FA Cup final and January, it was very close. So the probability that we could win was there in all the games.”
Ten Hag also stressed the importance of patience, noting the team’s anticipated reinforcement upon the return of injured players, which would bolster their strength. Despite recent setbacks, the manager remains optimistic about the team’s trajectory and their potential to turn the tide in upcoming games.