Man Utd get clear verdict on sacking Ruben Amorim as five replacements emerge

Ruben Amorim is no stranger to dealing with pressure since becoming Manchester United manager, but this time it feels different.

Amorim has won just 18 of his 49 matches in charge of United since November. As he approaches a year in charge, his players still appear no better at playing his prescribed formation. The 3-1 defeat at Brentford on Saturday wasn't a nadir - that honour would have to go to Grimsby - but it was still telling.

United were completely outplayed by their opponents and their manager appeared powerless to turn the tide. Amorim's side are 14th in the Premier League, having won two of their six matches, and owners Ineos are beginning to get twitchy.

Sacking Amorim is now a real possibility with even the most rose-tinted view of the side struggling to see any progression under the Portuguese boss. But if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co were to pull the plug, who should they replace him with? Mirror Football writers have their say.

READ MORE: Three Premier League managers learn Man United stance as Ruben Amorim sack fears grow

READ MORE: Ruben Amorim offered sack verdict as Man Utd owners 'don't want to admit another error'

John Cross

Sorry, Crystal Palace fans. Look away now. Oliver Glasner is the best and hottest managerial property in the Premier League right now. If Manchester United were to make a change then he would be the perfect fit.

Glasner is not a flash in the pan. Unlike Ruben Amorim, he has got a proper body of work and real experience behind him. The job he has done at Palace has been phenomenal. They are hard to beat - they have not lost in the Premier League for nearly six months - and won the first trophy in the club’s history under him. Now they are enjoying a European campaign. But he has also managed big clubs - Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt - and won the Europa League.

I am absolutely convinced that he would be RB Leipzig manager now if he had not won the FA Cup and had such a brilliant end to the season with Palace. Steve Parish, the Palace chairman, did so well to keep Glasner amid strong interest. Glasner is also a manager on the up. That is so important. He has got energy, experience and improves players. He would be perfect. But getting him would not be easy…

Jeremy Cross

Manchester United need someone to bring some calm to all the chaos at Old Trafford. Someone with experience and a level head. Someone who makes teams better and gets results. David Moyes, anyone?

Moyes might have tried but failed - spectacularly it has to be said - in his previous time as United manager. But since then he has become older, wiser and better equipped to deal with the all-consuming challenge of managing United.

He won a trophy for West Ham and is currently doing a wonderful job back at Everton. They say you should never go back, but if I was Sir Jim Ratcliffe I would be looking at appointing Moyes. Because this time round, the Scot wouldn't be filling the boots of a certain Sir Alex Ferguson.

Harry Brent

Simone Inzaghi is the man to replace Ruben Amorim at Manchester United. At Inter Milan, he took a financially-cautious, patched-up squad (ring any bells, United fans?) and spun them into gold: one Serie A title, two Coppa Italias, three Supercoppas, and two Champions League finals. That’s exactly the kind of alchemy Old Trafford has been crying out for.

His three-at-the-back system slots perfectly into United’s recent tactical shift, removing the need for another expensive squad overhaul. More importantly, his robust, no-nonsense approach would jolt United’s underperforming dressing room, instilling discipline and accountability where it’s sorely needed.

Unlike tactically rigid managers - whose predictability increasingly feels outdated - Inzaghi thrives on flexibility. He adapts formations and rotates players based on context, ensuring he thrives in the modern game’s dynamic demands. His ability to balance spark with defensive grit would also address United’s fragility while unlocking their offensive potential.

Inzaghi’s success, forged at two clubs (Inter and Lazio) burdened by big expectations but haunted by inconsistency, proves he’s ready to revive a sleeping giant like United. He may have just joined Al-Hilal, but if the hook is baited well enough, he'll bite.

James Whaling

Ruben Amorim seems to be keeping his job on the strength of the Manchester United managers before him losing theirs. The cold, hard fact is he has been the worst of the lot since Fergie. They should be turning elsewhere and should be looking at current Premier League managers who have been successful in England. I think Spurs were really shrewd in appointing Thomas Frank and believe he would have been perfect for United.

Now he's off the table, I'd be looking at Andoni Iraola. The job he's done at Bournemouth has been nothing short of remarkable. Yes, he's had a bit of money to spend. But the Cherries are by far and away the Premier League's smallest club, you only have to take one look at their stadium, and they continue to punch well above their weight.

Not only that, they are doing it by playing attractive football and taking the game to their opponents, whoever they may be. They came close to securing European football last season and have made an impressive start so far this term, already sitting sixth.

The Old Trafford hotseat is becoming something of a poisoned chalice, and it says it all when Iraola might actually think whether taking the United job right now is worth it. But he'd be my choice if I was Sir Jim.

Tom Victor

If Manchester United are to part ways with Ruben Amorim, and they may well decide it’s time to pull the trigger, they’ll need someone capable of hitting the ground running. They’ll also need someone capable of playing with a three centre-back system, and someone who can deal with an atmosphere which often looks to be just a minute away from turning poisonous.

Step forward Gareth Southgate. One of his biggest cheerleaders, Dan Ashworth, might have left Old Trafford, but the argument for his appointment remains. The question is whether the former England boss wants this to be his first foray back into management. It feels like a poisoned chalice, but - on the plus side - any club job taken by Southgate would come with plenty of attention. The England job felt like just as much of a hiding to nothing when Southgate took the reins, and he did okay then. Surely it’s worth a try.

Dan Burnham

The perfect Ruben Amorim replacement? Ruben Amorim. Without going full Unai Emery and repeating his name like Marco Bizot, there's no other solution for Manchester United right now than sticking with him. If Ineos truly want to breed a new era at Old Trafford, they have to break the groundhog day cycle. And they're in too deep with Amorim regardless having recruited for his unique system.

How did it work out having Ralf Rangnick in interim charge for months on end? That's the situation United will be in if they axe him because doing so at this point in a season might work well for a relegation-threatened side who can call in a firefighter, but it very rarely works when you want to be competing at the other end of the table. I'm firmly in the 'give managers time' camp and so should Jim Ratcliffe be.

Jack Flintham

Even after the poor start to the season that United are experiencing, I would still be surprised to see Amorim leave. It seems that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is determined to stick by his man no matter what. Were he to leave though, I feel that a move for Oliver Glasner would be exactly the sort of hire they should go for. In my mind, Glasner comes with the same kind of reputation that Thomas Frank had heading into Tottenham.

He has overachieved at Crystal Palace and would be the kind of manager to install confidence into these players. My only fear would be whether or not the job would begin to wear him down. However, you look at the calibre of player that Glasner has managed and nurtured since arriving at Selhurst Park, you have to feel that his appointment would be both realistic and a step in the right direction.

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.