A manager who could be 'even better' than Arteta if he joins Man Utd

Erik ten Hag's second season as Manchester United manager has been disappointing, to say the least. It was a successful first stint for the Dutchman, who led his side to the Carabao Cup, as well as a third-place finish in the Premier League.

However, this time it was more difficult for the Red Devils. They currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League, with 54 points, and are now out of the running for European football in terms of statistics. Not only that, they exited the Champions League in the group stage, too 15 goals they scored it is the most of any Premier League team in the clubs.

With such poor form, it has led to talk that manager Ten Hag has been sacked by United's new owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who may decide to go ahead with a new face in charge of the INEOS era.

Of course, this has led to a lot of speculation about who might get the job, if Ten Hag is indeed fired at the end of the season. Several names have been thrown together, including England manager Gareth Southgate and Bayer manager Thomas Tuchel, who will leave the club in the summer.

However, another name that has been doing the rounds recently, is the Premier League boss and could be the one to take over at Ten Hag.

Man Utd should look to appoint a Premier League manager

The manager in question is Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, who has had a fantastic first full season at Villa Park. They are currently fourth, seven points ahead of fifth-placed Tottenham, and have a Europa Conference League semi-final to look forward to.

The 52-year-old was appointed by Villa in October 2022, taking over from Steven Gerrard, who had a disastrous spell at the club. Last season, Emery pulled the club from relegation danger to the Conference League play-offs within months.

In April, Villa have activated a one-year contract extension clause on Emery's contract, which will keep the Spanish player at the club until 2027, Bayern are sniffing and may be looking at Emery as their next manager.

However, United may need to contact Emery to take over at Old Trafford. Former United and Villa striker Dwight Yorke thinks it would be a good time, saying in an interview this week that the Spaniard “could do a lot better than Erik ten Hag, Mikel Arteta or Jurgen Klopp”, if he gets the United job.

Yorke continued: “It wouldn't surprise me to see Emery's name linked with big clubs in the summer. He has a point to prove to the top clubs because of how his time at Arsenal ended.”

How Emery can work at Man Utd

Yorke's quote certainly suggested that Emery's time at Arsenal left a lot to be desired. Since leaving Arsenal, Arteta has risen to the top of the club, playing his exciting and pressing 4-3-3 system which now sees them challenge for the title.

Emery, however, is famous for his 4-2-2-2 formation at Villa, and he has helped them to the brink of Champions League qualification. That would be a remarkable achievement when you consider where the Midlands side were when Emery arrived.

It may not have gone well for him in north London but he has now established himself as one of the best managers in the Premier League. Continuing to boast an impressive record that includes a Ligue 1 title and four Europa League trophies, he can one-up Arteta when it comes to winning trophies. Perhaps there could be some credence to the idea that he will take United further than Arsenal in the years to come.

Champions League football would undoubtedly be a huge achievement for Emery at Villa as they were a relegation-threatened side last season and it feels like he needs to take the next step to fulfill his legacy as a legendary manager. Should United decide to offload Ten Hag this summer, Old Trafford could be the place to go. After all, he has proven that he can stop the ship from a deep recession. This would be a perfect project.

After implementing a 4-2-2-2 system at Villa Park, he will probably look to use this system at Old Trafford, too. United certainly have some players who would be a good fit for Emery's Villa system, but they will undoubtedly need to strengthen in a few areas of the squad, too.

Kobbie Mainoo can be very good under Emery, this 19-year-old midfielder has amazing ability in the first division, thus is very important in the construction pattern employed by the Spaniards, which involves triangles between the defender, playing back midfielder on each side.

Not only that, Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount would thrive in a central role, where the players start as winners, before moving inside the two number 10's in possession and helping to drive the ball forward in midfield.

Finally, Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford could serve as the front two in Emery's system, tasked with drifting to receive the ball and drive into the penalty box. This is something Rashford can do very well, as he plays his best football when he receives the ball outside and drives into the penalty box.

One area United will need to strengthen is at centre-back, and they will have to look to quick and agile players to fit into the top line Emery recruited from Villa. Statistically speakingVilla hold the most offside players per game in the Premier League, with 4.7 per game.

However, this comes with the risk of opponents using too much space at the back if they beat the offside trap. The likes of Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof may struggle to cope with the demands of this, so United should look to recruit a full-back.

Indeed, Emery's program is one of the best to watch in the Premier League this season. United's lack of suitable defenders, and the depth needed in midfield, could mean they are not ready any time soon if he takes over at Old Trafford. That being said, it could be a smart appointment for the Red Devils.