Man Utd hero tipped as the 'obvious option' to replace Ruben Amorim emerges

Rene Meulensteen has selected Michael Carrick as the "obvious" successor to Ruben Amorim at Manchester United because he "knows the club." The Portuguese manager has faced mounting criticism following recent performances at Old Trafford, particularly after a humiliating 3-0 Manchester derby defeat to City.

That setback, alongside a crushing Europa League final loss to Tottenham and an embarrassing Carabao Cup elimination by League Two outfit Grimsby Town, has intensified the scrutiny surrounding Amorim's position at United.

Despite the Old Trafford hierarchy's public backing of his capabilities, Mail Online reports that first-team squad members are beginning to doubt his tactical approach. It's believed United would face a £12million compensation bill should they choose to dismiss Amorim, though supporters might consider this a modest investment in the club's future success.

Former United coach Meulensteen has shared his perspective on the club's next move if they part ways with Amorim, identifying his preferred candidate for the role. Ex-Red Devils midfielder Carrick is being touted for the top position, with the Dutchman convinced the former Middlesbrough boss would thrive at his old club.

Speaking to football betting site BetVictor, Meulensteen said: "Michael Carrick might be the obvious option if Ruben Amorim is to go. Obviously Michael Carrick still knows quite a few players that were there when he was there.

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"So he's still got some good inside information. He obviously knows the club. He knows what's expected from the club."

The 61-year-old also referenced former United boss Jose Mourinho, who looks to return to Benfica, but remained steadfast in backing Carrick, insisting "common sense" is what's required to handle the troubled giants.

He said: "Well, you always get that and there's always names being thrown around. Jose Mourinho's out of the job as well. So that will be thrown around and there's all other managers as well.

"But the key is that you need to have a guy that obviously has got a clear idea but puts some kind of a structure in place that the players buy into and that you get a spark from the players. Because they're not bad players, there's plenty of good players there.

"I'm sure that if they would play in a system that suits them, they really play at the best. I think you could see a fantastic Manchester United. Maybe Michael could well be the guy.

"It's not magic. It's common sense more than anything, that's it and Carrick has got plenty of that."

Carrick has previously stepped up as interim boss twice - following Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's departures - and remains unbeaten in temporary charge.

Across three matches in the hotseat, the former midfielder secured two victories and one draw. He departed United to take over at Boro, where he spent three years managing the Championship outfit.

From 136 matches in charge, Carrick claimed 63 wins, 24 draws and 49 defeats. In contrast, Amorim has had a tougher time with United, albeit under very different circumstances, with more losses than wins under his belt - 18 defeats compared to 17 victories, along with 12 draws.

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