Erik ten Hag ended the six-season wait for a trophy last term but some are questioning how patient the Glazers should be amid the Dutchman&aposs poor start to the campaign. The League Cup may be currently sitting in the Old Trafford silverware cabinet but it will be gone in four months&apos time.
The defeat to Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday means United have had their worst start to a season at home since the 1930/31 season, with just five wins out of 10. The Reds have lost eight of their first 15 matches and shipped 26 goals in the process.
I take responsibility for it, said Ten Hag post-match. I see it as a challenge, I&aposm a fighter, I am in the fight and I have to make sure I share the responsibility with the players that we stick together, fight together and get better results in.
The majority of the fanbase do not want to see Ten Hag sacked. Not only do they see him as a long-term mainstay but his principles when it comes to standards and efforts are akin to Uniteds DNA.
Some are simply tired of the United merry-go-round that has spun since Sir Alex Fergusons retirement. Its easy to forget the great man himself was almost shown the door at Old Trafford in his early days.
There would be several problems in axing Ten Hag. For one, it would send the club back to square one. The manager has spent a lot of money on underperforming players that any new boss would still be stuck with.
Furthermore, United would be eating into their Financial Fair Play threshold. A managers dismissal compensation package is included within the regulations and the club are stressed about balancing these books over the next year as it is.
Yet again, there might not be much to spend in January and so a multi-million-pound sacking would only back United into a tighter corner.
Another issue is the takeover situation. Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks set to take control of sporting matters upon his 25 per cent investment. Sacking Ten Hag and bringing in a new face who might not be preferred by Ratcliffe would drive United into a greater mess.
But that leads to a fourth, and perhaps biggest, issue. Who is out there to suitably replace Ten Hag? Some may even ask, who in their right mind would want to take on the job?
Zinedine Zidane would be the crme de la crme, but as he said last year: If I go back to a club, it&aposs to win. I say this in all modesty. That&aposs why I can&apost go anywhere.
When people say to me: &aposDo you want to go to Manchester?&apos I understand English but I don&apost fully master it. I know that there are coaches who go to clubs without speaking the language, but I work differently.
Having a look at other potential options doesnt inspire great hope. Antonio Conte has fallen out with every boardroom hes worked under, Graham Potter flopped at his first big club in Chelsea and Hansi Flick is more-or-less a Ten Hag 2.0. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still out of work
United could look at managers who are already employed. The question that will be asked, though, is would any suitable boss swap their current job for the dugout seat at Old Trafford?
Roberto De Zerbi has thrived at clubs with modest budgets who look for next generation stars. United would be a different monster and besides, Brighton look as though they have a better chance at finishing in the top five.
Unai Emery has all but vowed not to manage a European giant again while Thomas Frank would be a sizeable risk. Looking overseas, there are fewer options.
Unbeaten OGC Nice boss Francesco Farioli has made a cracking start, with his club top of Ligue 1 amid obvious ties with Ratcliffe. But the 34-year-old has not managed a single game in European competition and his previous experience is the Turkish Super Lig.
