Next Man Utd Manager Odds: Top 5 candidates according to the betting
It's finally happened, after what feels like years, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's luck finally ran out on Saturday as Manchester United slumped to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Watford and on Sunday the club made it official, Ole is no longer at the wheel.
It's been a turbulent ride for Solskjaer who picked up the reigns from Jose Mourinho almost three years ago and whilst failing to win anything, did manage to restore some soul on the pitch and at times made United fun to watch again.
However, after a strong finish to last season United fans were dreaming of a Premier League challenge in 21/22 and not only has that not materialised in recent weeks it's started to go sour amongst some supporters.
The man who scored an injury-time Champions League final winner to win United the treble in 1999, Solskjaer's United had a habit of last gasp winners or equalisers in recent weeks which earned him multiple stays of execution.
Following Saturday's bloodbath at Vicarage Road however enough was enough and we take a look at the top five candidates in the next Man Utd manager odds market.
(updated Sun 18:30)
Brendan Rodgers
The Leicester man has been hovvering around the top of the betting for a while now and whilst not enjoying a great season thus far would he really jump ship to United as a former Liverpool manager and would the United faithful welcome him at Old Trafford? A lot of question marks around a best price 4/1 joint favourite and seems like it could be a stretch at this juncture.
Michael Carrick
The current first team coach Michael Carrick is another who would get the respect of the players but as a long term solution he may not be enough of a change the club needs. Were he to be appointed as a caretaker for the rest of the season the bookies would pay out in the next manager market and he's been backed into best price 4/1 joint favourite with Paddy Power.
Zinedine Zidane
The former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has drifted slightly in the betting and whilst he's the 21/20 favourite with Betfair to be the next Manchester United manager he's as big as 6/1 third favourite with Bet Victor. Having left the Spanish giants in May of this year, he certainly has the grandeur to become an Old Trafford manager and would command the respect of the players.
Erik Ten Hag
The Ajax man is someone who the United fans could get behind. His Ajax teams have been excellent to watch and he has the profile to come in and do a good job at Old Trafford. At 10/1 the bookies seem to think this won't happen right now, but perhaps it's one to look at come May.
Mauricio Pochettino
The former Spurs manager is said to be near the top of United's wanted list, but whilst he's still in the hotseat at PSG would he really jump ship to Old Trafford? Gary Neville told Sky Sports viewers on Sunday that United would be waiting for him to fail to appoint him, how far have Manchester United falled? He's 18/1 best price with Betfair but as short as 4/1 with Bet Victor.
Best of the rest
Ralf Rangnick, the modern day Alan Curbishley is linked with yet another job by the bookies who price him up between 7/1 (Bet Victor) and 22/1 (Paddy Power), whilst Darren Fletcher has been linked with taking up the post and his price varies from 33/1 with Paddy Power to 6/1 with Betfair. A former teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo's, what he doesn't have in managerial experience he'd make up for in passion and workrate which is one of the things currently missing on the pitch. Fletcher could be that stop gap United require before a look at what's available next summer.
Former player Laurent Blanc is 20/1 currently managing in Qatar whilst it's really hard to see the likes of Roberto Mancini or Luis Enrique, both priced at 33/1 with Bet Victor leaving their national teams with the World Cup a little over 12 months away.
Whoever comes in has a talented squad that could still turn things around and get top four and have a run in one of the cups. At 11/10 for a top four finish that looks eminently backable at this point.
