There is one outstanding candidate remaining to replace Erik ten Hag at Manchester United

This is a warning: you might not like what you're about to read.

The bookies have Ruud van Nistelrooy as the favourite to be the next Manchester United manager, with Gareth Southgate, Kieran McKenna, Graham Potter, Thomas Frank and Ruben Amorim all listed below.

Van Nistelrooy has managed just one season at senior level, Southgate is not qualified for the role and has ruled himself out of work for a year, McKenna is a bright coaching prospect but is inexperienced, Potter underwhelmed at Chelsea and Frank has not managed a big club.

You'd be forgiven for not knowing too much of Amorim's work. The 39-year-old has done a brilliant job at Sporting Lisbon but managing United would represent a significant step up.

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The list of potential replacements for Erik ten Hag has not been inspiring and England's ambitious appointment of Thomas Tuchel has further narrowed down the field.

Tuchel met with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in Monaco as recently as the summer to discuss the possibility of replacing Ten Hag and remained a coach of interest before signing his England deal.

The 51-year-old would have been an imperfect solution to the current problem at Old Trafford but a solution nonetheless. He has signed an 18-month contract with England instead and United fans have been left scratching their heads over who could replace Ten Hag if he faces the axe.

United sacking Ten Hag at some stage in the near future feels like an inevitability, along with the appointment of Van Nistelrooy as caretaker to oversee as many games as necessary.

Van Nistelrooy could be given the job until the end of the season but United