Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has reportedly made a final decision over whether he wants to replace Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.
Further pressure was heaped on Ruben Amorim after Manchester United slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Brentford on Saturday, leaving the Red Devils languishing in 14th place with just seven points from their opening six matches.
The loss once again exposed familiar defensive weaknesses, while Amorimโs persistence with his favoured 3-4-3 formation has drawn criticism from pundits and supporters alike. BBC Sportโs Simon Stone reports that Unitedโs hierarchy are, for now, standing by their Portuguese head coach and intend to give him until the end of the season. But patience is wearing thin, and continued poor results could force the club to act sooner.
One name consistently linked with the Old Trafford dugout is Oliver Glasner, currently in charge of Crystal Palace. Since taking over in January 2024, Glasner has transformed the Eagles into one of the Premier Leagueโs most resilient sides. He led them to FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs earlier this year, and remarkably, Palace remain unbeaten in 17 matches across all competitions since their 5-0 defeat at Newcastle back in April.
Speculation about Glasnerโs future intensified when reports suggested he threatened to resign if Palace captain Marc Guehi was sold to Liverpool on deadline dayโa claim he quickly dismissed. With his contract expiring at the end of the season, the Austrian has played down links to United, telling Kicker: โIโm aware of the rumours, but thatโs all they are. Iโm concentrating on my daily work with the players and staff and simply trying to enjoy it.โ
Yet according to talkSPORTโs Ben Jacobs, Glasner would not hesitate if United came calling. โMy information is that if Oliver Glasner was offered the Manchester United job, he would take it in a heartbeat,โ Jacobs revealed.
For United, that represents a tempting alternative. Glasner has proven he can build chemistry and resilience even under financial constraintsโa quality Amorim has so far struggled to replicate with far greater resources at his disposal. While both coaches favour a similar system, questions remain about Amorimโs tactical decisions, particularly his use of Bruno Fernandes in deeper roles and his reluctance to integrate Kobbie Mainoo more effectively.
With other names such as Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth and Marco Silva at Fulham also earning admiration for their work with modest budgets, Unitedโs board are acutely aware that viable Premier League-proven options exist closer to home. For Amorim, the challenge is clear: he must not only fix his faltering system but also restore belief that he can unite Unitedโs expensively assembled squadโbefore the clamour for change becomes irresistible.
