Michael Owen calls for bizarre interim Man United manager who Paul Scholes backs as the “best coach” he’s had

Following Manchester United’s embarrassing 4-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace on Monday, two ex-Reds are calling for an interim coach to take over until the end of the season.

After one of the worst displays in the decade post Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, pressure is once again rising on Erik ten Hag’s position at United as his side was humiliated by Oliver Glasner’s dominant Palace team.

An injury-plagued squad, which many fans have become accustomed to, saw Ten Hag select his 14th different centre-back partnership this season with Jonny Evans and Casemiro and the two veterans were ran ragged by one of the Red Devil’s priority transfer targets Michael Olise and his teammates.

Read More: Erik ten Hag sends clear message to Jason Wilcox after Man Utd’s 4-0 defeat vs Crystal Palace

Unfortunately, being on the receiving end of thrashing away from Old Trafford hasn’t been a rarity, as Monday night was the third time that United have lost by a four-goal margin since the beginning of last season and are currently on track to finish with a negative goal difference for the first time since 1989/90.

With just three league games remaining and a visit to Wembley for the FA Cup Final against Manchester City, Michael Owen and Paul Scholes have called for Ten Hag to be dismissed and replaced by his assistant coach, Steve McClaren.

The FA Cup final and the perceived gulf in class between the two Manchester sides were the catalyst in this bizarre revelation from the English footballing icons, with Owen telling Premier League Productions: “They [United] are going to get smashed out the ballpark playing like that. City are going to embarrass them at Wembley in front of millions of people.”

The Cup could be United’s last hope of securing European football. They have now slipped to eighth in the league, two points behind Newcastle United, who are sixth. They are level on points but severely behind on goal difference with Chelsea, who are now seventh.

According to the ex-pros, the Dutchman is to blame. Both believe that his desire for sole control of the team is having detrimental effects, and neither can see McCLaren’s influence on the side.

The former striker said: “We’ve played under Steve McClaren. There’s no way his fingerprints are anywhere near that team. He is a brilliant coach, and that team is not being coached at all. No way.

“There is no way on earth he has got anything to do with that team. It’s impossible. That team is absolutely clueless right the way through it.

“Steve McClaren is a top operator, and I can only think other people are coaching the first team, and he’s a bystander.”

The Ballon d’Or winner was confident in his answer when asked if McClaren should take over until the end of the season, saying, “For four games, yeah, anything.

“Something has got to change now. We know its got to change in the summer, there are too many big games, there’s European football next year, there’s a trophy at the end of the year [to play for].”

Scholes also chimed in his belief in the former England manager by agreeing with his ex-teammate, saying, “He’s [McClaren] not touching that team, the manager [Ten Hag] is not letting him touch that team.

“Everyone thinks we were a great team that attacked everybody and beat people, sometimes we played against better teams, and Steve McClaren put sessions on to make sure you stopped other teams, getting your distances right, getting your angles right, especially in midfield.”

The United legend ended with potentially the highest praise possible: “He’s the best coach I ever had.”