Ruben Amorim is under increasing pressure at Manchester United after Brentford ran out 3-1 winners on Saturday, leading to managerial links with Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane has once again been linked with the Manchester United managerial role.(Image: Photo by Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images)
Former France international Emmanuel Petit has previously claimed that Zinedine Zidane would need demands to be met before taking charge of Manchester United. The Champions League-winning head coach has been mentioned in the conversation to replace Ruben Amorim as pressure mounts.
United failed to make it back-to-back wins as they failed to build on last weekend’s triumph over Chelsea, with Brentford running out 3-1 winners on Saturday. Two first-half strikes from Igor Thiago gave the visitors a mountain to climb following a slow start in the capital.
Benjamin Sesko reduced the arrears, netting his first for the club, before Bruno Fernandes squandered a golden opportunity from the spot to level proceedings 15 minutes from time.
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Mathias Jensen rounded off the scoring deep into stoppage to compound a miserable afternoon for the travelling United contingent.
It leaves United in 14th on seven points as Keith Andrews’ side leapfrogged them with their triumph.
Amorim continues to face speculation over an exit after failing to arrest their inconsistency and poor form. It has led to Zidane being linked with the post, but should a decision be taken, they will have to coax the former Real Madrid head coach in from the cold.
Zidane has not been in the dugout since 2021 after leaving Los Blancos for a second time. In order to do so, Petit, one of his former teammates, says demands will have to be met.
“Honestly, I know a little bit, Zizou [Zidane], and he needs to get guarantees if he wants to sign over there in Manchester United,” Petit said in 2024.
“At the moment, the environment at Manchester United for years has not been good. The stability of the bench, the level of the players as well, the expectation of the club is not the same that it used to be.
“United is still a huge club, but not on the pitch anymore. And Zizou is very conscious and very careful about that, the quality of the players.”
He added: “Could he manage to overturn the situation over there? I think the only answer is yes. But at the moment, when you look at the team, I’m not convinced at all about the level of some players.
“So if I am Zizou, I think it will be very easy, actually, to answer this question [of joining United]. If I don’t speak English on top of it, that will be more problems in terms of communication in the dressing room.
“If he takes the job at Manchester United, that means he’s got solutions. At the moment, I’m not sure a lot of people have the solution to turn the situation at Manchester United.
“Does he want to leave the sunny days of Madrid? His life is in Madrid, he is dedicated to Madrid.
“I’m not sure that he speaks very good English as well. And communication is very important in the dressing room.”