Five candidates to replace Ole at the wheel for struggling United

The pressure continues to grow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United.

After a dismal derby showing against Manchester City, even former team-mates are beginning to question his future.

Red Devils legend Rio Ferdinand has called for the “baton to be handed over to someone else” after a poor run of form.

He said: "I look at our team every week and wonder what we are going to do, tactically.

"I don't see any philosophy or an identity in the United way of playing, whatever that should be from the management. I sit here confused looking at the team.

"I was always deep down a bit sceptical. Could he take us on to be champions? I wasn't sure, I wasn't fully convinced, but hoped he would be able to do that.

"But the showing with the squad he accumulated to the beginning of this season and what I've seen this season, I just feel that maybe it might be the time now for the baton to be handed over to someone else who can take us on."

So who would that next manager be? LiveScore pick out five options.

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane has a catalogue of accolades as both a player and manager.

Having guided Real Madrid to three Champions League titles in a row, the 49-year-old is among the favourites to take over in the manager's seat at Old Trafford.

The World Cup-winning Frenchman has been out of a job since his second spell at Los Blancos ended in May.

Zidane would be reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo, who was instrumental during his tenure at Madrid, after the duo both left the Spanish capital in the summer of 2018.

Mauricio Pochettino

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has been busy in France as he attempts to guide star-studded Paris Saint-Germain to their first Champions League title.

The 49-year-old has finally proven he can win trophies with a good enough squad — something he failed to do at Spurs but rectified almost immediately in France.

The Argentine has been on United's list of potential managers for a while now but it could prove difficult to prise him away from the French giants.

Pochettino is only in his first full season as PSG boss and his side are top of Ligue 1 with a 10-point margin over second-placed Lens.

While Pochettino would be a good option to implement United's desired free-flowing, attacking football, it currently seems an unlikely appointment.

Laurent Blanc

Before Solskjaer was appointed, Laurent Blanc was a potential alternative to replace Jose Mourinho. 

The former United player spent two seasons in Manchester — winning the Premier League with them in 2003.

Blanc did have a spell in charge of PSG and lost just 16 of 173 games at the helm.

He also took charge of the French national team for two years before leaving the role after the 2012 European Championships following a 2-0 quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Spain.

The 55-year-old could come in and win over a restless crowd by providing a cool head capable of handling the pressure of managing such a huge club.

Brendan Rodgers

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers is another who has a long-term link to United.

He has helped establish the Foxes as one of the top-flight’s best sides, despite a rocky start to this campaign.

But they did beat United 4-2 last month, even after giving the visitors a one-goal head start.

Rodgers has a clear philosophy and regularly competes with sides with vastly superior transfer budgets than Leicester, which is impressive in itself. 

Having won the FA Cup last season, Rodgers is another who could end United's four-year trophy drought — it would certainly be intriguing to see the 48-year-old's capability with a huge transfer kitty available to him.

Erik ten Hag

Erik ten Hag has blown everyone away with his Ajax side over the last three seasons. 

The Dutchman had been heavily linked with both the Spurs and Newcastle jobs and United are also keen on the 51-year-old. 

With Ajax joint-top of the Eredivisie and having dispatched Borussia Dortmund both home and away with ease in the Champions League, Ten Hag would seem an excellent appointment for United.

His famous European run with Ajax in 2019 shows that he has the ability to perform on the biggest stage.

However, it has been reported that it would take an incredible offer to prise Ten Hag away from Ajax, with the Dutch side having activated an extension on his contract in April.

Ralf Rangnick

Godfather of German coaching Ralf Rangnick is another name linked with a move to the United hotseat.

The 63-year-old former RB Leipzig manager has heavily influenced the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann.

In fact, Liverpool boss Klopp once branded Rangnick a perfect fit for an English club.

There are suggestions he already has a relationship with the Old Trafford hierarchy and his pressing style of football would be a welcome change from Solskjaer’s mess.

But Rangnick would likely only be a short-term appointment until the end of the season and Lokomotiv Moscow’s current head of sports and development would want a guaranteed sporting director role at the club once his managerial stint ended.