The rumors are finally over. After weeks and weeks of speculation, Man United has confirmed what everyone believed to be inevitable: Jose Mourinho has been sacked.
The Red Devils announced this on Tuesday morning, revealing the Portuguese manager's departure from the club via their official website. Their statement read:
"Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect.
"The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager."
17/12/2015: José Mourinho is sacked by Chelsea.
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) December 18, 2018
18/12/2018: José Mourinho is sacked by Manchester United.
Not the most wonderful time of the year for some. pic.twitter.com/OrGBG9Z8Bx
The calls for his exit were high. After a horrendous start to the season and a number of falling-outs with the dressing room, it had been said that the majority of the players no longer backed the tactician.
Senior sources at the club reportedly predicted he would be gone before the New Year, and gone before the New Year he is. However, there was a lot more to his demise than his public clashes with Pogba and Co.
Man United's position in the table is most likely the main culprit. The Old Trafford side did not begin the campaign well and things have not drastically improved, with a 3-1 loss at Anfield on Sunday being the final nail in the coffin.
Their performance in that game is something the Theatre of Dreams fans have become all too familiar with this season: playing boring football with little to no attacking threat. That defeat to Liverpool means they trail Klopp's table-toppers by a whopping 19 points.
Man United has not been one of the best attacking sides in the league since Mourinho's takeover
1.62 - Manchester United averaged 1.62 goals per game in the Premier League under Jose Mourinho, less than they did under David Moyes (1.65). Chosen. pic.twitter.com/QOYvLPuXN7
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 18, 2018
Klopp the executioner once again?
Mother of all coincidences. Jurgen Klopp kicks Jose Mourinho out of another club.
— Danny Welbeck (@WellBeast) December 18, 2018
Goodbye Jose... pic.twitter.com/boAjQxD08h
While Martial's form has improved as of late, the same cannot be said about Pogba and Fred, who struggle to reach their best under the Special One. The 20-time Premier League champion has also been mediocre in defense, something uncanny of a Jose team, with Mourinho's relationship with Ed Woodward being strained due to the failure to sign a world-class defender.
Does Jose have an excuse given the amount he has already spent on the current first-team?
With @ManUtd 19 points behind @LFC after 17 games, with the vast majority of players playing way below their best...and dour football to boot. Given Mourinho was allowed to spend hundreds of millions on those players the split seemed inevitable.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) December 18, 2018
The focus will now shift to who can turn things around for the English giant. They will face PSG in the Champions League round of 16, meaning a quick turnaround is needed.
Mauricio Pochettino has been linked with the position, but the odds of him leaving Tottenham in the middle of the season are zero. Zinedine Zidane, the three-time Champions League-winning boss, is a free agent and can assume the role anytime but he has distanced himself from the position on previous occasions.
Zidane is the most high-profiled candidate available right now
"Apart from Zidane, I can't think of anybody else who is currently available, who would suit Manchester United"@Iandennisbbc speculates on who could be taking over from José Mourinho - who has been sacked as manager of #MUFC. pic.twitter.com/X0RfSdA5uJ
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) December 18, 2018
Leonardo Jardim and Laurent Blanc are two options, with the latter having enjoyed a fine spell at Old Trafford as a player. However, one can only guess who will become Man United's next permanent boss.