Teddy Sheringham sounds Thomas Tuchel warning and names perfect Erik ten Hag replacement

Teddy Sheringham has voiced concerns over the possible appointment of Thomas Tuchel at Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

Teddy Sheringham has voiced concerns over Manchester United’s potential appointment of Thomas Tuchel amid the growing likelihood that Erik ten Hag will be sacked.

United’s disastrous campaign reached its nadir on Monday night after an injury-ravaged side was trounced 4-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Ten Hag came out fighting after a defeat which left his side’s hopes of European qualification hanging in the balance, adamant that was deserving of a third season in charge.

Asked directly whether or not he felt he was the right man to lead United into a new era, Ten Hag issued a defiant response last night.

‘Absolutely,’ he said. ‘If the right players are there, so available, then we have a good squad. But we miss almost the full back line, then we have problems.’

Thomas Tuchel is currently one of the favourites to take over in the summer and given his impending departure from Bayern Munich, allied to the German giants’ reported interest in Ten Hag, a deal looks relatively straightforward.

Sheringham, however, remains unconvinced by Tuchel’s credentials and feels Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi fits the bill.

Thomas Tuchel is one of the favourites to succeed Erik ten Hag at Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

The Italian has endured a difficult second season on the south coast during which the Seagulls small squad has struggled to cope with the rigours of combining domestic and European commitments.

Former England international Sheringham, however, is confident De Zerbi would get the best out of some the struggling talent that would at his disposal were he to get the United job.

‘I’m not convinced by Thomas Tuchel, especially if he’s getting bombed out of Bayern Munich,’ Sheringham told Genting Casino. ‘We knew he was leaving two months ago because of how poor Bayern have been in the Bundesliga, so why would you want him coming to the club?

Roberto De Zerbi is Teddy Sheringham’s tip to succeed Erik ten Hag at Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

Erik ten Hag is under mounting pressure following last night’s 4-0 defeat against Crystal Palace (Picture: Getty)

‘He’s hardly buzzing with confidence. Bayern had won eleven titles on the spin, and with Tuchel in charge for a full season, they are finishing second. That’s not an ideal appointment for me.

‘‌It’s a tough one. I still like Roberto De Zerbi. I think he has done well at Brighton again this season under difficult circumstances.

‘They’ve sold a lot of quality players over the seasons, that’s the model they have there, and I’m not sure that they’ve reinvested that money to keep the team on the same level as last season.

‘Even with that lack of investment, I think De Zerbi has still done a decent job. They made good progress in the Europa League; they’ve been comfortably in mid-table and that is difficult to do in the Premier League when you’re working with a stretched squad and managing the twin schedules of European and domestic football.

‌’He lost his two midfield generals in Mac Allister and Caicedo. It’s hard to replace those type of players. He’s conducted himself well and got results for his football club – Brighton are nowhere near relegation, and because of the quality of the Premier League, it’s quite easy to slip into.

‌’I’m still looking at De Zerbi and thinking he could have the ability to manager Manchester United.

‘He seems a little bit temperamental, but I quite like his ethics and the way he speaks about football and plays the game. He wants his teams to play in a certain way and you can tell that he loves football. I like his optimistic view of football and I like the way his teams play.’

Manchester United news, exclusives and analysis

Sign upPrivacy PolicyThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Never miss a beat throughout the season or transfer window with weekly Manchester United news updates, exclusives and analysis. Sign up to Metro.co.uk’s Club Metro newsletter