Technical director Darren Fletcher looks set to take charge of Manchester United ’s next game after the Red Devils reportedly sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Solskjaer has led United to just one win in seven Premier League games, dropping them to seventh in the table, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.
The latest low point came on Saturday, when the Red Devils were humiliated by relegation-threatened Watford, who defeated Solskjaer’s sorry side 4-1 at Vicarage Road.
Harry Maguire was also sent off, with United’s performance far below what is expected of a side who were tipped by many to challenge for the title ahead of the campaign.
With no sign of Solskjaer being able to stop the rot, United chiefs held an emergency meeting following the embarrassment at the Hornets.
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According to the Manchester Evening News, it was decided at that meeting that Solskjaer would be sacked.
The Premier League side are now said to be in the stages of finalising the Norwegian’s compensation package.
Attention will now turn to who will take charge of United in both the short and long-term.
No permanent successor is ready to replace Solskjaer yet, with Zinedine Zidane, Brendan Rodgers and Erik Ten Hag thought to be the favourites to take over at Old Trafford.
But none of the three frontrunners are ready to lead the team immediately, with a caretaker boss expected to be appointed instead.
The Manchester Evening News report that the man expected to fill that role is Fletcher, who is currently technical director at the club.
Fletcher was brought in as an assistant coach back in January of this year before being promoted to his current role in March.
Despite his lack of coaching experience though, it is believed that the Scot will now lead the first team group as United enter the process of finding a new manager.
It is stated that Fletcher is expected to take charge of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Villarreal and could even remain in the post for next week’s visit to Chelsea.
The former United midfielder is set to be assisted by current first team coach Michael Carrick, who himself was a member of Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous Red Devils side.
Fletcher watched the defeat at Watford from the dugouts, having previously taken in games from the directors’ box.
The appointment mirrors that of Solskjaer’s original role as interim boss following Jose Mourinho ’s sacking.
Solskjaer was handed the permanent job after a successful stint as caretaker, though it appears such a move is unlikely to happen with Fletcher.
Instead, it is thought that United will make a permanent appointment, with Zidane, Rodgers and Ten Hag battling it out for the job.
Appointing Zidane would see the Frenchman link back up with Cristiano Ronaldo, while Rodgers had previously emerged as the ‘preferred candidate’.
Ajax boss Ten Hag would be more of an unexpected appointment, though United have been left ‘impressed’ by his spell at the Dutch giants.
The Red Devils will be hoping to make an appointment as quickly as possible, with Fletcher then returning to his original role.
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