EXCLUSIVE: Michael Owen backs Darren Fletcher to impress as Manchester United's interim manager

Michael Owen believes his former Manchester United teammate Darren Fletcher is in pole position to land the manager's job at Old Trafford following the sacking of Ruben Amorim.

The legendary England centre forward, who twice won the Premier League Golden Boot as a teenager with Liverpool, enjoyed a stint with the Red Devils at the tail-end of his glittering career where he played alongside the club's new interim manager.

And Owen – speaking exclusively to Odds Now on behalf of Casino.org where he is UK ambassador, which helps players find the best casino online options in Britain – has backed his old colleague to seize the opportunity that he has been given.

Owen backs Fletcher to stake a claim for Manchester United job

Owen said: "I'm delighted for Fletch. I think he'll be an accomplished manager in time because he's got a lot of passion for the game.

"He thinks about it a lot. It's almost similar to what happened with [Ole Gunnar] Solskjaer not too many years ago.

"You can absolutely see if Fletch picks up a good result against Burnley, then he'll probably get the next game against Brighton, and the same could happen again there.

"If you keep doing well, it makes it appealing for the club to give him until the end of the season. And if you keep doing well between now and May, then who knows?

"You have to say he's in the box seat right now."

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Owen questions what United want from new boss

Early frontrunners in the next Manchester United manager betting markets have included Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner and Enzo Maresca, who was himself only axed by Chelsea last week.

As always, the situation is a fast-moving one and new prospective candidates are emerging by the hour.

But Owen insists the club's hierarchy need to have a serious think about what they are looking for from the latest candidate – who will be the club's 11th new manager since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down just over 12 years ago.

Owen explained: "I think a lot of fans like the idea of going back to basics, maybe an ex-player or someone who knows the club. I think we all have that cycle both in football and in life.

"You get the foreign, sexy football tactician with a little bit of a twang in his accent and everyone gets excited. Then, when results aren't going right, you get a bit bored of that and you want to go back to the old glories – 'Let's get a Gary Neville, a Paul Scholes, a Roy Keane type who knows the club'.

"But as the owners, they are experienced in not just football but also in business. So they should be capable of cutting through that noise and just simply doing what is best for the team right now.

"You want someone who has a bit of everything, don't you? You want experience, an understanding of the club, attacking football, a good talker. But in reality, is there anyone out there that ticks every box? I'm not sure.

"Going with an interim like Fletch opens up more managers in the summer. But then again, you're Manchester United, and you don't need all that talk floating over your head for a long period.

"There's still half a season to go here, and it's one with big implications like Champions League qualification and so forth. So you can't just poodle along with something you're not confident in.

"It's a tough one for all involved and they have to get it right."

Owen: Too early to be writing off Slot at Liverpool

With Maresca and Amorim departing less than a week into 2026, talk has already turned to which managers could also be losing their jobs in the coming weeks.

One boss feeling the heat is Arne Slot at Owen's former club Liverpool, with the Dutchman now 11/2 second favourite in the 'Next Manager To Leave' market behind only struggling West Ham's Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Reds' latest league outing saw them drop yet more points at Fulham, forced to settle for a 2-2 draw having gone ahead in injury time through Cody Gakpo before a Harrison Reed wonderstrike levelled things in the dying seconds.

Now trailing leaders Arsenal by 14 points, they seem certain to relinquish their Premier League title but Owen feels criticism of Slot is a little too strong given what he achieved upon arriving at Anfield.

Owen said: "I personally think it's way too early for talk of that [Slot losing his job].

"In his first year, he won the league. I mean come on, that's virtually unheard of! It was an incredible job he did there and I still think he's done really well this season in terms of the additions they've made.

"Alexander Isak is an incredible player. I think Hugo Ekitike is amazing. Florian Wirtz is just pure class. Although they haven't always shown it this season, there's no signings there that I look at and think, 'Oh no, I wouldn't have signed them'.

"They bought young. The long-term future is very bright in that regard and I think this is just a short period of time where they are struggling I guess. But that happens in football."