Moyes facing the sack at Manchester United

MANCHESTER — David Moyes is facing the sack as Manchester United manager with the owners, the Glazer family, and Ed Woodward, the vice-president, in discussions about whether they should continue with the Scot.

United’s 2-0 loss to Everton yesterday (April 20) was the latest evidence that Moyes may be best relieved of his duties and it appears only a matter of time before the decision is taken.

As reported by the Guardian, Moyes has been under scrutiny since last month following the 3-0 defeat to Liverpool. The chief concern for the board is how bad the team have played throughout the season under Moyes, with little sign of improvement. The question now being asked at the highest level is whether he is the right man to be carry out a £150 million (S$315.9 million) rebuild .

The club are determined to rebuild the squad this close season and the discussions between Woodward and the Glazers centre on whether a new manager should be brought in to drive the process.

When replacing Sir Alex Ferguson last summer Moyes signed a six-year contract as the club were determined that stability should be the best strategy to continue the former manager’s supremely successful 26-year reign.

That policy appears in ruins, and Woodward and the Glazers will already be deliberating over who should succeed Moyes if he is sacked.

Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Klopp, Diego Simeone of Atleico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain’s Laurent Blanc and the Holland coach, Louis van Gaal will all be discussed as the next potential manager.

In the aftermath of yesterday’s defeat, Moyes refused to answer a question about whether the board continued to recognise this would be a particularly difficult season.

Yet with United in seventh place, 13 points from a Champions League berth, and staring at missing out on a Europa League place, the hierarchy seem to have had enough.

Speaking to MUTV after the loss at Everton, Moyes said: “We need to end the season on a high. We want to finish by winning all of our games. We’ll do everything we possibly can to make that happen.”

Yet senior players voiced their dissatisfaction with the campaign. Rio Ferdinand, who was not in the squad at Goodison Park, tweeted: “Frustration & disappointment sums up the season so far.”

On his blog, Juan Mata wrote: “I feel very disappointed today. This is how you feel when you spend two weeks waiting for a game, getting ready for it, and then things don’t go the way you wanted. It happened in Goodison Park and the truth is this is not the first time, as you know. I hate this feeling.

“What the Premiership table shows now is something that neither the club nor the fans deserve. I hope the next game comes as soon as possible because, as you can imagine, this bad taste makes me mad.” THE GUARDIAN