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Manchester United have had a really bad start to the season. Their victories away against Norwich last weekend and against Chelsea mid-week in the Carabao Cup seemed to hint at a turnaround, but their loss against Bournemouth in the league yesterday highlighted their problems again.
This was their fourth loss of the season already, and has made the task of finishing in the top 4 even more difficult. The result will obviously raise questions on the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could face the sack.
If that does indeed happen, here is a look at some of the replacement options available to United:
1. Massimiliano Allegri
Massimiliano Allegri has been without a job since leaving Juventus in the summer. He spent five successful seasons at Juventus where he won multiple trophies including five consecutive Serie A titles. He also guided Juventus to two Champions League finals.
Allegri's teams are usually very disciplined, something that Manchester United seem to be lacking right now. He builds his teams from the back and prioritizes clean sheets a lot. His teams may not play the way United have historically played, but he is known to deliver results and win trophies.
There have been reports that Allegri is learning English, which shows his interest in coaching a team in England. He is a proven coach at the highest level, and he won't struggle with the pressure faced at big clubs as he has already managed teams such as Juventus and AC Milan.
Allegri will need a couple of players, especially in defence and midfield, to shape the team in his image. But there is no doubting that he has the ability to take Manchester United back to the very top.
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2. Erik Ten Hag
Erik ten Hag had an amazing season with Ajax last year. He guided them to the domestic double and the semifinal of the Champions League, where they narrowly lost to Tottenham Hotspur.
His Ajax team have continued where they left last season, as they are unbeaten domestically. Their only loss of this season came against Chelsea in their last Champions League group game.
Ten Hag has guided Ajax to the top of the Eredivisie comfortably this season, and they are level on points at the top of their Champions League group.
Ten Hag fits the profile of the type of manager Manchester United fans would prefer. His team plays an attractive style of football, and he is also known to trust and improve young players at his disposal.
The latter is something that fits in with the recent transfer market approach of United. They are trying to bring in young players from their academy and even from outside. Ten Hag seems to be the best candidate to help United in that direction, thus giving their fans the type of football they love.
3. Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino has been tipped to move to a bigger club for quite some time now, but his desire to win something with Tottenham Hotspur has seen him stay put in London. That said, Tottenham's form, performances and the desire of some of their star players to leave the club seem to suggest that Pochettino's stint may be coming to an end.
Pochettino may be the safest and most reliable option for Manchester United. He has proven he is capable in the English League already, and he also took Tottenham to the Champions League final last year. And he achieved all of this without any significant investment in the squad.
At United, Pochettino can expect to be backed in the transfer market. His teams are very well organised and play good football. He has shown at Tottenham that he is ready to trust the young players and give them their chances.
Convincing him to leave Tottenham would still be a difficult task, and United may face competition from other clubs as well. Pochettino has been linked with Bayern Munich too recently.
So if United feel that Pochettino is the one to take them forward, then they would have to act fast.
