The leaves are turning golden-brown, the days are growing shorter and colder, and pumpkins are ubiquitous. It can only mean one thing: the Manchester United manager is under pressure.
This is the favoured time of year to dispense with the man in charge of the men's first team at Old Trafford. Jose Mourinho was gone in December 2018, although the writing was on the wall long before the 3-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield that proved the final straw. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer left a month earlier in 2021; Erik ten Hag was sacked in October last year.
Now, it's Ruben Amorim's turn to feel spooked by the approach of Hallowe'en.
United's 3-1 loss to Brentford on September 27 means that, nearly 10 months into the job, Amorim has failed to win consecutive Premier League games. His team is still conceding dreadful goals and not managing to score enough themselves. The system is still being debated and dissected by fans and pundits, and — somehow — defended by the head coach.
There is still no definite plan to replace him; in fact, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the rest of United's sporting hierarchy appear determined to give Amorim as much time as possible to prove he is building to something, even when nearly all objective evidence suggests that is not the case. But rumours have begun to pick up around potential candidates for the toughest job in English football, and that rarely augurs well for the man trying to keep it.
Here, The Sporting News looks at the favourites to be the next United boss, and whether they would make sense as Amorim's successor.
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Who should be next Man United manager?
Below are the favourite candidates to replace Amorim at Manchester United, the likelihood of them taking the job, and which — if any — are best suited to the role.
Oliver Glasner
Glasner is viewed by many as the best option to replace Amorim. The Austrian has proven credentials, not least in the Premier League, where he has transformed Crystal Palace into a consistently effective team — one that won the FA Cup in 2025. He had previous success with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga and won the UEFA Europa League in 2021/22.
Glasner has also achieved something Amorim has not: he has a team playing in a 3-4-2-1 set-up, and playing consistently well. That said, there is no guarantee that Glasner would have any more success with that system with this United squad than Amorim, so his preference for the formation could ironically count against him.
His contract with Palace expires at the end of this season, so compensation would be minimal. That may appeal to United's powerbrokers.
Likelihood: 7/10
Suitability: 7/10
MORE: Everything to know about Oliver Glasner, the man who has the Eagles soaring
Gareth Southgate
Southgate was a divisive man in charge of England over eight years. He completely changed the culture within the national-team set-up and reached two consecutive European Championship finals, as well as the semifinals of the World Cup in 2018. However, the fact he didn't quite manage to win a trophy, coupled with a perception of a risk-averse approach that shackled some of England's attacking stars, means he would not be a universally popular choice among fans.
Southgate has reportedly been held in high regard by Ratcliffe and INEOS for some time. Indeed, talkSPORT reported on September 28 that Ratcliffe had been in direct contact with the former centre-back over recent weeks.
The 55-year-old has only held one club position in his coaching career, having led Middlesbrough from 2006-09.
Likelihood: 7/10
Suitability: 6/10
Graham Potter
Another man understood to be held in high esteem within Old Trafford's corridors of power, Potter was sacked by West Ham after a largely miserable period in charge (albeit one that included a win over Amorim's United at Old Trafford).
Prior to that, the English coach had been at Chelsea, where his tenure lasted only seven months amid a chaotic period of transition at boardroom level and a lavishly scattergun transfer policy.
However, the 50-year-old's impressive spells with Brighton & Hove Albion, Swansea City and Ostersund means his stock remains reasonably high, and he, like Southgate, would not incur a cost to buy out an existing contract. Still, this one feels less likely.
Likelihood: 5/10
Suitability: 4/10
Kieran McKenna
One of English football's up-and-coming stars, Ipswich Town manager McKenna could be an option for INEOS if they wish to pursue another long-term project.
The 39-year-old was previously an assistant to Solskjaer at United before being lured away by Ipswich for his first manager job. He promptly led the Tractor Boys to two straight promotions and a return to the top flight, and although their time back in the Premier League lasted only one season, McKenna won plaudits for the way his team performed.
Despite the upside, appointing someone so young and inexperienced would come with considerable risk.
Likelihood: 3/10
Suitability: 4/10
Michael Carrick
Another with obvious United links, Carrick enjoyed huge success as a player at Old Trafford and worked as an assistant to Mourinho and Solskjaer before a brief spell as caretaker manager after the latter was sacked in November 2021.
Carrick became Middlesbrough manager in October 2022 and took them to the semifinals of the Championship playoffs and, a year later, the Carabao Cup. He signed a new contract in June 2024, but 12 months later, he was gone, having been unable to sustain a promotion push despite significant spending.
Carrick, like McKenna, has a good understanding of the club, and the fact he's a free agent is appealing, but there are better options out there.
Likelihood: 2/10
Suitability: 4/10
Andoni Iraola
Iraola has performed superbly at Bournemouth. The fact they started 2025/26 winning three and losing only one of their opening six league games, having seen their squad picked apart by big-spending superclubs, underlines what a great job the Spaniard is doing.
The former Rayo Vallecano boss is tactically adaptable and likes to encourage an attack-minded style of play, which would appeal to a club like United. At just 43 years old, he is also a candidate who could prove to be a long-term appointment who can shape United's future, much like they hoped Amorim would.
Likelihood: 5/10
Suitability: 7/10
Xavi
Xavi has been out of work since leaving Barcelona under a cloud in 2024. Another young manager who favours possession-first, attacking football, you can understand why some fans would see the appeal.
The former Spain midfielder, widely considered one of the finest players in his position in history, enjoyed a successful coaching spell in charge of Al Sadd in Qatar before taking up the Barca job in 2021. He delivered the La Liga title in 2022/23 and the Supercopa de Espana that same year, but he never quite had the full support of the fanbase or the local media, particularly due to relatively poor performances in the Champions League.
Xavi is reportedly eager to try his hand in the Premier League, but United does not feel the logical step at this point.
Likelihood: 2/10
Suitability: 6/10