Glasner's Palace Struggles Prompt United to Pump the Brakes on Manager Hunt

Manchester United's search for Ruben Amorim's long-term successor has hit a snag, with the club now having reservations about Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner following a dramatic collapse in the Eagles' season.

Palace's elimination from the FA Cup at the hands of non-league Macclesfield—a 2-1 defeat in the third round—represents one of the most stunning upsets in the competition's history. It marks the first occasion in over a century that the defending FA Cup holders have been knocked out by a non-league opponent. For Glasner, who won the club's first major trophy last season, it's a humbling reversal.

The Austrian's stock at United appears to be falling fast. Palace sit 14th in the Premier League with 28 points from 21 matches, and their form over the past six games ranks them 19th—only marginally ahead of West Ham. Their last league victory came on December 7 against Fulham. To compound matters, they've exited the Carabao Cup and finished 10th in their Europa Conference League group, leaving them facing an awkward playoff in February despite being pre-competition favourites.

These mounting problems have sent up red flags at Old Trafford, according to sources. Mick Brown, formerly United's chief scout, told Football Insider that the club will be having "second thoughts" about one of their "leading candidates" in light of Palace's deteriorating campaign.

"When Palace suddenly head to Macclesfield and get beaten, and they're caught in this awful run, it naturally raises questions," Brown explained. "Man United will be reconsidering whether he's the right fit. They don't need to decide until summer with Michael Carrick in place, so they've got time to monitor the situation and keep tabs on other options."

Brown stressed that managerial fortunes rise and fall on results alone. "If Glasner's got Palace punching above their weight, that catches the eye. If they're below it, people ask questions. He's clearly an impressive and capable operator, and there are documented issues at Palace this season. But ultimately it's about results, and those red flags have been raised. United will want to see him turn this around."

Glasner, 51, has an impressive pedigree in cup competitions. He guided Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022, where they beat Rangers in the final and qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 1960. In that same campaign, Frankfurt finished 11th in the Bundesliga but won their first away victory at Bayern Munich in 21 years. He also reached the DFB Pokal final with the German side in 2022/23, though they lost to RB Leipzig before he departed.

His contract at Palace expires this summer, which partly explains United's interest. However, his league record and Palace's form in the current campaign may prove too troublesome for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his recruitment team to overlook.

Meanwhile, Michael Carrick continues as interim manager with the task of steering United into the Champions League places. The club currently sit seventh in the Premier League after failing to win any of their last three matches. Carrick previously acted as caretaker following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's dismissal in November 2021, overseeing three matches at that time.

Other names in the frame include Julian Nagelsmann—though he's tied to Germany until 2028—Thomas Tuchel, and Xabi Alonso, with several Premier League bosses also under consideration. Luis de Zerbi is expected to feature in internal discussions, while Xabi Alonso is available but considered unlikely to accept the Old Trafford role.