Manchester United: Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate 'emerge as manager targets' if Erik ten Hag sacked

Two leading candidates to become Manchester United manager have emerged should Erik ten Hag be sacked.

The United manager is again under pressure just weeks into the new season after losing two of the club’s first three games of the season.

Ten Hag was widely expected to be sacked after overseeing one of the worst Premier League campaigns in United’s history, but a remarkable victory over rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup Final saved his job and earned him a contract extension.

Weeks later and gloom has fallen back over the club, summed up by the sight of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, in control of football operations at the club, with his head in his hands during Sunday's 3-0 home loss to Liverpool.

Many of the same issues from last season were on show at Old Trafford, despite another summer of heavy spending, with Liverpool exposing Ten Hag's lack of playing style and ability to adapt tactically.

The Mirror now report that Thomas Tuchel will be United’s first-choice managerial target should Ten Hag be dismissed.

Ratcliffe and Tuchel held talks over the summer before the decision was made to stick by Ten Hag. The former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss reportedly remains of interest and, importantly, out of work.

Another name regularly in the frame is Gareth Southgate . Ratcliffe is understood to be a big fan of the former England manager, who has not held a club job since leaving Middlesbrough over 15 years ago.

Southgate is the bookmakers' favourite, with current assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy and former assistant Kieran McKenna, who is now at Ipswich, not far behind in the market.

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