Ex-Albion boss rated an outsider to step in as Manchester United sack ten Hag

Former Albion boss Graham Potter is being quoted as an outside bet to take over at Manchester United.

The Old Trafford outfit parted company with Erik ten Hag this morning in the wake of a 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

Potter has not returned to football since being sacked by Chelsea 18 months ago although, noticeably, he has suddenly been back in the media in recent weeks.

His assistants Billy Reid and Bruno have also remained away from the spotlight but Bjorn Hamberg has a coaching role at Feyenoord.

United’s first Premier League game under the interim command of Ruud van Nistelrooy will be at home to Chelsea on Sunday.

Potter handed ten Hag defeat in his first game as United boss when Pascal Gross scored twice at Old Trafford in the opening fixture of the 2022-23 season.

Oddschecker’s Leon Blackman said: “After months of being the favourite to be the next Premier League manager to leave, Erik ten Hag has finally been sacked by the Man United hierarchy.

“The search is now on for his successor and the early favouritism in the betting lies between Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim.

“However, it is former Barca manager Xavi Hernandez who has received a wave of support on Oddschecker - 30% of bets since the loss at West Ham have backed Xavi for the job, making him the most popular bet in that time frame.”

Oddschecker have Potter, who is greatly admired by Dan Ashworth at United, at 16/1, which is an implied probably of 5.9%.

Xavi is currently valued at 9/1 and around fifth-favourite to be the next permanent manager at United.

Van Nistelrooy is the current betting favourite at odds of 7/2, largely because he will be considered the “permanent manager” if he takes charge of ten United matches.

Joining him on those odds of 7/2 is Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, who is also high up in the betting to be next Man City boss.

Other names at the top of the betting include Gareth Southgate (8/1), Thomas Frank (8/1), Kieran McKenna (14/1), and Michael Carrick (14/1).