Manchester United have reportedly ruled out two managers as potential Ruben Amorim replacements even though one has been tipped as the obvious candidate.
Manchester United have endured their worst start to a Premier League season since 1992/93, managing just four points from their opening four matches.
That campaign ultimately ended in their first of 13 league titles, but a similar comeback looks unlikely this time.
Defeats to Manchester City and Arsenal, a draw with Fulham, and a narrow win over Burnley have left the Reds struggling, compounded by a shock Carabao Cup exit against Grimsby Town.
Ruben Amorim’s rigid tactics and team selections are under mounting criticism, and some reports have claimed that the next three games will be crucial for his future at Old Trafford.
United rule out two managers as Amorim replacements
United face Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland in the coming weeks before another international break and negative results in those fixtures could end up forcing United to sack Amorim.
If that was to happen, there isn’t much of an idea as to who would be the right replacement to steer United back in the right direction.
Ben Jacobs has claimed on the United Stand YouTube channel that United are not considering Michael Carrick or Jose Mourinho as options.
Mourinho is reportedly going to join Benfica while Carrick remains unemployed after his Middlesborough dismissal. The ex-midfielder was in Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s backroom staff at Old Trafford and took charge on an interim basis after the Norwegian was let go.
Reports elsewhere have suggested that several managers are being considered, such as Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth and Fulham’s Marco Silva.
Carrick would be perfect option
It was recently suggested by Sir Alex Ferguson’s former assistant Rene Meulensteen that Carrick would be the perfect man to take over from Amorim.
“Michael Carrick might be the obvious option if Ruben Amorim is to go. Obviously, Michael Carrick still knows quite a few players that were there when he was there. So he’s still got some good inside information. He obviously knows the club.
“I’m sure that if they would play in a system that suits them, they really play at the best. I think you could see a fantastic Manchester United.
“Maybe Michael could well be the guy. It’s not magic. It’s common sense more than anything, that’s it and Carrick has got plenty of that.”
It would certainly be an appointment that matchgoing fans could get behind, similarly to when Solskjær came in for Mourinho in 2019, but it seems unlikely to happen.
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