Manchester United are in a tricky situation under Ruben Amorim, and a high-profile manager is now interested in taking over at Old Trafford.
Manchester United lacking focus amid Brentford defeat
Soon enough, the Red Devils’ defeat at Brentford will be cast to the back of collective minds at Old Trafford. However, their performance on the day epitomised the inconsistency in performances across the board at the Premier League giants.
Leaky at one end of the field and profligate at the other, Manchester United have fallen to 14th in the top-flight standings, something that has left Amorim under increasing pressure as he aims to turn the fortunes of his side around.
Matthijs De Ligt has admitted the Red Devils lacked concentration at key moments, something the Netherlands international and his teammates will be keen to sort out before the visit of Sunderland this weekend.
He told BBC Sport: “It’s always easy to look at the manager, but in the end the players on the pitch have to do it. The goals we conceded, the chances we conceded, are because of what? You guys (the media) always talk about the system, but it also has a lot to do with focus and concentration.
“If that’s lacking in key moments, it is going to make a difference. When you’re up against a Brentford team who play like they do, they will kill you.”
Graham Potter has been earmarked as a surprise Manchester United candidate to succeed Amorim, as has Gareth Southgate, though there may be another high-profile name on the Old Trafford wishlist should they part ways with the Portuguese boss.
Romano: Xavi interested in Man Utd managerial job
Speaking on his YouTube channel, renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has made it clear former Barcelona manager Xavi would go ‘immediately’ to Manchester United if INEOS follow through and make an approach.
He stated: “Xavi is studying the Premier League. Xavi is monitoring the Premier League, and Xavi would go immediately to Man United, even without European football – he would go immediately to the Premier League.”
Xavi won the La Liga title with Barcelona in 2023 alongside a Spanish Super Cup in the same year. His only other experience in management came at Al-Sadd, where he won the Qatar Stars League in 2021, the Qatar Cup twice, the Qatari Stars Cup, the Emir of Qatar Cup and the Sheikh Jassim Cup in 2019.
Favouring a 4-3-3 formation, the former La Liga legend enjoyed a magnificent career as a player, although he has been out of work since May 2024, having been replaced by Hansi Flick.
Clearly, the 45-year-old is someone who knows what it takes to win, though he did struggle towards the end of his Barcelona tenure and would be walking into an entirely different set of circumstances at Old Trafford.
