Roy Keane has provided a scathing criticism of Sir Alex Ferguson by claiming the former Manchester United manager is "hanging around like a bad smell" at Old Trafford as the club look to replace Ruben Amorim.
Following Amorim’s sacking on Monday, United - who will hire an initial interim until the summer - are now searching for their seventh permanent boss since Ferguson retired in 2013.
United have struggled to move on from their iconic former manager, who guided the club to 13 Premier League titles.
Ferguson, who famously fell out with Keane in 2005, left his ambassadorial role at United last season, but remains at the club as a non-executive director.
Ahead of United’s 2-2 draw with Burnley, caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, who played under Ferguson during a 20-year stint at the club, admitted he had spoken to his fellow Scot ahead of taking on the job.
Speaking in his role as a pundit on Sky Sports, Keane questioned who was making the decisions at United and criticised the continued influence of Ferguson and former chief-executive-turned-board-member David Gill.
"What happens in these job interviews? I'm intrigued," Keane said.
"Why do they keep giving certain people a job? What happens in the interview that they sit there and go, and 12, 14 months later, 'he's not the guy for us’.
"Do you not suss that out when you speak to them? You look somebody in the eye and go…
"You see who’s making the decisions at Manchester United. You still have Ferguson and David Gill hanging around like a bad smell.
"Who’s making the decisions? [co-owner Sir Jim] Ratcliffe, [director of football Jason] Wilcox?"
When asked who he thought should become the new United boss on a permanent basis, Keane suggested that Newcastle manager Eddie Howe would be a good fit due to his calm personality.
"I'd go with Eddie Howe. I like him," Keane continued.
"I like what he's done. He's managed a lot of games. When his teams are at it, they'll play good football. He has his critics, but I like what he's done at Newcastle.
“He's managed seven or 800 games. He's still a young man. I love his calmness. Maybe Man United need a little bit of that.
"We've seen with our previous [appointments], we like people with emotions, but he's got that calmness. The job he's done at Newcastle, Champions League and winning a cup, I'd be happy to see him go in there."
Asked if he thought Liverpool would finish above Manchester United this season after their goalless draw with leaders Arsenal on Thursday night, Keane said: “Yeah, I do.
“It depends on managers and recruitment in the next few weeks, Liverpool are definitely going through a difficult spell.
“I could be wrong, United still have the potential going forward, but I look at the goals again United gave away last night [against Burnley].
“Defensively, as poor as Liverpool have been, United are worse. I think Liverpool will finish ahead of United.”
