Man United told to appoint Gareth Southgate by Joe Cole

Manchester United’s turbulent start to the season has once again thrown their managerial situation into the spotlight.

After a 3-1 defeat to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, former Chelsea forward Joe Cole has publicly called for United to part ways with current boss Ruben Amorim and instead turn to Gareth Southgate, who he described as the “perfect” replacement.

The loss to Brentford leaves Amorim’s side with just two wins from six league games, alongside an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two outfit Grimsby Town.

Ruben Amorim’s job is in trouble at Man United

United’s inconsistency is stark, moments of promise, such as the win over Chelsea, are quickly overshadowed by disappointing performances.

Against Brentford, they were 2-0 down within 20 minutes, and though Benjamin Sesko pulled a goal back and Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty, the damage was done when Mathias Jensen added a late third.

Cole was frank in his assessment, insisting Amorim has had enough time to impose his style and questioning whether he can turn things around.

“He looks anxious on the bench, he looks worried, and I think that will filter through to the players,” Cole said, before arguing that United “need a different direction”, as reported by Metro.

That direction, in Cole’s view, should be Gareth Southgate. The former England manager, who led the Three Lions to two European Championship finals and a World Cup semi-final, is currently out of work.

Southgate has previously been linked with United, with former sporting director Dan Ashworth believed to be an admirer.

His reputation for building culture and unity has been praised, with Harry Kane hailing him as “one of England’s greatest ever managers” upon his departure from the national team.

Cole added:

“You know I don’t like saying that but for him [Ruben Amorim] as well, he was the bright spark, people were talking about him like the messiah.

“I thought Gareth Southgate was the perfect man for the job in terms of building a culture and understanding the players. They went with Amorim and it doesn’t look like it’s working.”

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Can Gareth Southgate save United?

With United once again underperforming, pressure is mounting on Amorim to find solutions quickly.

However, voices Joe Cole’s are growing louder, suggesting the club needs to look elsewhere.

Southgate’s name brings intrigue, his success with England is unquestionable, but whether he would adapt to the relentless demands of club football remains uncertain.

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