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By DAILY MAIL SPORT Published: 00: 45 AEDT, 7 January 2026 | Updated: 01: 16 AEDT, 7 January 2026 37 View comments Ruben Amorim's ill-fated 14-month stint as Manchester United manager came to an end on Monday following their 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Sunday. The Portuguese coach's departure followed multiple disagreements with the club's hierarchy and he was summoned to United's Carrington training base to learn his fate. Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher has been installed as caretaker manager for Wednesday night's trip to Burnley, with the Red Devils set to name an interim boss until the end of the season. Fletcher’s former team-mate Michael Carrick, who took temporary charge for three games in 2021, and ex-United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer were among the early contenders for the role last night. But, in the aftermath of Amorim's sacking, what comes next for the Red Devils - who are still sixth despite the upheaval - both on the pitch and in the dugout? Our experts IAN LADYMAN, CRAIG HOPE, MIKE KEEGAN, CHRIS WHEELER, OLIVER HOLT and NATHAN SALT have had their say. Manchester United sacked manager Ruben Amorim on Monday after 14 months in charge Former United midfielder Darren Fletcher has been installed as caretaker manager by the club Ian Ladyman: MICHAEL CARRICK. The former United midfielder has stepped in before, knows the club and has credit in the bank with the supporters. Carrick did a decent enough job at Middlesbrough, has no ego and can coach. Craig Hope: It’s a shame Ralf Rangnick is preparing for the World Cup with Austria, he was great fun! On a similar theme, ROY KEANE would be box office. You might think that is perverse logic, but are the other names in the caretaker frame particularly appealing? Not really. They should have a conversation with Keane, at the very least. Mike Keegan: I can’t see it happening, but I’d love to see six months of Roy Keane with a rocket launcher! Realistically, OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER has been there and done it. In the short-term he could put smiles back on faces in the dressing room, at Carrington and in the stands. Chris Wheeler: A safe pair of hands with experience of working in the Manchester United madhouse. OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER, MICHAEL CARRICK or RUUD VAN NISTELROOY, with Darren Fletcher alongside them in the dugout Nathan Salt: Not keen on any of the options, in truth, but I’d go with MICHAEL CARRICK, even in spite of all the problems he showed us when managing Middlesbrough. Oliver Holt: They should stick with DARREN FLETCHER. Let's not have another interim interim farce. Fletcher was a player of substance and he's a man of substance and principle. He knows the club. He played under Ferguson. Let him at least start laying some foundations for a cultural reset. Former Middlesbrough boss and United midfielder Michael Carrick is one name in the frame Ian Ladyman: United should behave like a big club and go and kick Aston Villa’s door down for UNAI EMERY. It is what they should have done before hiring Ruben Amorim and they should go and do it now. Emery is a first class coach who know has plenty of Premier League and European experience. If he can take a squad like Aston Villa’s to the top three of the table then imagine what he could do with some real money to spend. Emery does like to have control, though? Would United agree to that? It could be a stumbling block. Craig Hope: They might not be able to get him because of their failed attempt last time and his newfound enjoyment of the England role, but THOMAS TUCHEL would be perfect. He can handle big clubs, big names and has a renewed knowledge of the Premier League given his current post. Mike Keegan: I’d love to see CARLO ANCELOTTI at Old Trafford. A big man in a big job and the type of character the role demands. He’ll be 67 by then, however, and I’m not sure any 67-year-old needs the stress managing United brings. Thomas Tuchel or Diego Simeone would be interesting. Chris Wheeler: It has to be someone with Premier League experience. ROBERTO DI ZERBI – if United dare risk hiring another hot-blooded coach from southern Europe – OLIVER GLASNER or THOMAS TUCHEL would be my top three. Nathan Salt: The absolute No 1 candidate should be LUIS ENRIQUE at PSG. But he’s a manager, not a head coach. If they need someone to fall in line, I’d look at Andoni Iraola. Oliver Holt: GARETH SOUTHGATE should be top of United's list as permanent manager. Whether they could get him is another matter altogether but they need a manager who have the same effect on the club that Southgate had on England. Like England, this is a job that's bigger than just what happens on the pitch. The club needs a culture reset. Ian Ladyman believes the Red Devils should go all out and get Aston Villa manager Unai Emery Roberto De Zerbi is another option but his temperament has been questioned before Ian Ladyman: Coach the team. United do not have a squad good enough or deep enough to win the Premier League but opportunity knocks at the top end of the table this season. Liverpool are weak (relatively), so are Chelsea while Spurs and Newcastle have not managed to mount a challenge. So there is a chance for a well-drilled United team with players operating in the right system to make progress and maybe over-achieve slightly. Amorim over-complicated everything and a new coach needs to strip all that back. United are not in Europe or the Carabao Cup, remember. The new man will have time on the training pitch. Craig Hope: Demand what Ruben Amorim attempted to at the 11th hour - more control. Man United’s hierarchy, in its present form, are more hindrance than help. The new manager should take that very title - manager! Mike Keegan: Own the situation. Embrace the challenge. Behave like the manager of the biggest football club in Britain. Chris Wheeler: Take a deep breath … and then remind himself that the canteen at Carrington doesn’t need reconfiguring. Why does every new United boss feel the need to do that? Nathan Salt: Establish if they are the manager or the head coach. There’s an enormous difference and it can save us all some Deja vu down the line. Oliver Holt: Assert his right to be the manager, not just the head coach. Wrest the power back from all the wannabe managers in the background. Pull the strings. Don't be the puppet Several of our experts believe the new boss should exert authority early on in their reign Ian Ladyman: I see no reason why United can’t get involved in the MARC GUEHI situation. The Crystal Palace defender is talking to clubs as his contract runs down and United should be picking up the telephone. They have already gone some way to solving their goalkeeping problem but are still not resolute enough at the centre of their defence. United also need to find way to free Bruno Fernandes from a deep-lying role in midfield that restricts his creativity. It won’t be possible to sign a top class holding player in January so the key to solving that problem may lie in the rehabilitation of Kobbie Mainoo. Craig Hope: HARRY KANE. He’s not necessarily a player for a long-term ‘rebuild’, but he could lead a revival. Man United have got Benjamin Sesko wrong and still need a striker - Kane with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo around him would be deadly. He turns 33 this summer but still has two-to-three potent Premier League seasons in him. Mike Keegan: Manchester United used to have a reputation for signing some of the best talents in the country. They should not have missed out on Harry Kane and Declan Rice. The biggest need, for me, is in midfield. ELLIOT ANDERSON fits the bill. Chris Wheeler: HARRY KANE. United need a midfielder but a striker like Kane would energise the whole club. The 32-year-old would be a short-term fix, but a very good one. Nathan Salt: ELLIOT ANDERSON. Would come with a huge price tag and there’s tons of other clubs keen. But having missed out on Declan Rice years ago, they cannot afford a repeat here. Oliver Holt: FRENKIE DE JONG. Harry Kane could also be the signing who kickstarts a new era despite the striker now being 32 Ian Ladyman: If United stay clear of big injuries and manage to get some kind of tune out of centre forward Benjamin Sesko, they will finish SIXTH. Craig Hope: I said earlier this season that Man United always have enough good players to keep bad managers in a job for too long, and that was the case with Amorim. Those good players remain - Cunha, Mbeumo, Bruno Fernandes - but I suspect this will be another season ‘written off’ by the club and will culminate in a top-10 finish but not enough to qualify for the Champions League. SEVENTH. Mike Keegan: There should be a short-term bounce, because there nearly always is. The issue they have is that, after Burnley and Brighton (in the cup) City and Arsenal lie in wait. That said, this is not a great Premier League and squeezing into the TOP SIX should not be beyond the existing squad when players return. Chris Wheeler: With round pegs in round holes, there’s no reason why this squad can’t qualify for Europe – even more so because they aren’t distracted by being in it this season. FIFTH. Nathan Salt: SEVENTH. I don’t see United strengthening off the pitch in the transfer window and a caretaker manager is dicey in my opinion in trying to get top four. Oliver Holt: I think they'll finish where they are now. SIXTH. However good the caretaker is, if everyone knows he's not a permanent manager, things tend to drift.
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