Man Utd's managerial answer to Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp is now clear if Michael Carrick is sacked – opinion

Manchester United’s best option outside of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp could be a managerial alternative to Michael Carrick if Ineos do end up making a change.

Michael Carrick has been handed the opportunity to rescue his Manchester United managerial reign after the Red Devils’ setback against Bournemouth on Sunday.

The 45-year-old United legend will remain in charge at Old Trafford ahead of a crucial test against Premier League side Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

If Carrick is unable to save his managerial spell at the Premier League club, United should do everything in their power to bring one managerial pick to Old Trafford.

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Rene Meulensteen says Unai Emery is Man Utd’s best answer after Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp are firmly ruled out

Both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp were linked with the Red Devils after Sir Alex Ferguson’s legendary reign at Old Trafford came to an end. Guardiola snubbed Manchester United and moved to Bayern Munich instead in 2013, while Klopp continued at German side Borussia Dortmund.

Both Guardiola and Klopp later arrived in England after moving to Manchester City and Liverpool respectively. The former Manchester City manager and ex-Liverpool head coach have since moved on from the Premier League as well.

Rene Meulensteen, who worked under legendary former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, insisted that either Guardiola or Klopp would have been his perfect picks for the Old Trafford hot seat. However, the 62-year-old former United first-team coach accepted that it would be an impossible reality of getting Guardiola or Klopp at the Red Devils now.

“But you need people that have got very strong personalities, very strong vision,” Meulensteen told Piers Morgan on Football Uncensored.

“Now, obviously, Pep Guardiola was one obviously at [Manchester] City; he wouldn’t come to Manchester United, I would imagine, but he would definitely be able to do a job.

“Jurgen Klopp is another one that had conversations with Manchester United in the past and said, ‘No, thank you,’ for obvious reasons.”

READ MORE: Three key reasons Man Utd would be wrong to sack Michael Carrick as Ineos face biggest decision of all

Meulensteen, on the other hand, admitted that Unai Emery would be the most ideal person for United if they couldn’t land a manager like Guardiola or Klopp.

“Unai Emery, I like very, very highly because that is another person with very strong views about how to build a winning, successful team, you know, and he does it again with Aston Villa for everyone to see.”

Unai Emery might not have sustained the same silverware success as Guardiola or Klopp when it comes to his managerial time in England, but his work at Aston Villa has stood out. While the 54-year-old Spaniard’s spell at Arsenal fell well short of expectations, the same cannot be said for his time at Villa Park.

Aston Villa have become a real force in the Premier League top-four picture after Emery’s management at the club. Emery has been able to lead Villa into the Champions League and even found success on the European front with them. The former Arsenal boss led Villa to the Europa League trophy in the summer after his side comfortably beat SC Freiburg in the final.

United would face no easy task in trying to prise Emery away from Villa, but he is naturally the best manager to replace Michael Carrick if it were needed. Meulensteen is right that the former Villarreal and Sevilla boss has the elite mentality needed to build a United team that could win, so long as Ineos fully backed him.