Darren Fletcher will take interim charge of Manchester United following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.
Fletcher will be the lead man in the away dugout on Wednesday night when United travel to face struggling Burnley in the Premier League at Turf Moor.
“Ruben Amorim has departed his role as Head Coach of Manchester United,” the club said in a statement.
“Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May.
“With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.
“The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future.
“Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday.”
The former Scotland midfielder won 13 major trophies and made 342 senior appearances for the Red Devils as a player between 2002-15, having joined their youth setup as a schoolboy.
Fletcher returned to United in 2020 as a youth coach and later served as both first-team coach and technical director before being succeeded by current director of football Jason Wilcox and later taking up his current role as lead coach of the Under-18s in July.
Fletcher’s twin teenage sons, Jack and Tyler, play for United and were both on the bench for Amorim’s final game in charge - the 1-1 draw with rivals Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday.
Jack has made three first-team appearances for United so far this season, while fellow midfielder Tyler is awaiting his senior debut after both brothers left Manchester City’s academy to move to Old Trafford in a deal worth £1.25million in the summer of 2023.
Amorim was sacked on Monday morning after only 14 months in charge, amid reports of rising tensions behind the scenes at United and less than 24 hours after giving an explosive press conference following the clash with Leeds at Elland Road in which he cast severe doubt on his future at the club.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is the early bookmakers’ favourite to succeed him on a permanent basis, ahead of the likes of ex-England manager Gareth Southgate, Mauricio Pochettino, Unai Emery, Xavi, Andoni Iraola and Zinedine Zidane.
A timescale for the appointment remains to be seen, while it is uncertain for how long Fletcher will be in charge or indeed if he is in the running for the full-time post.
Fellow United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer impressed during his own interim stint at the helm after the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December 2018, but was dismissed himself three years later in 2021.
