Seven-Year Itch Ends: Manchester United Fires ManagerSeven-Year Itch Ends: Manchester United Fires Manager After months of speculation, the axe has finally fallen on Manchester United manager José Mourinho. The Portuguese tactician has been relieved of his duties following a dismal start to the season and a series of embarrassing defeats. Mourinho’s tenure at Old Trafford began with great promise in 2016. He won the Europa League, League Cup, and Community Shield in his first season, and followed that up with a second-place finish in the Premier League in 2017-18. However, United’s form began to decline in the following seasons. They finished sixth in the Premier League last season and were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals. This season, they have won just two of their first seven league matches and have been humiliated by rivals Liverpool and Tottenham. Mourinho’s relationship with the United board had also become strained in recent months. He has been critical of the club’s transfer policy and has reportedly clashed with players. The straw that broke the camel’s back came on Tuesday, when United were thrashed 3-1 at home by Liverpool. The defeat left United 19 points behind the leaders and facing the prospect of missing out on a top-four finish. Shortly after the match, the club announced that Mourinho had been fired. Mourinho’s departure brings an end to a turbulent seven-year spell at Old Trafford. He leaves with a record of 263 wins, 93 draws, and 58 defeats in all competitions. United are now on the lookout for a new manager. Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is reportedly the favorite to replace Mourinho, but other names in the frame include Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino and Juventus’s Massimiliano Allegri. The new manager will have a tough task on his hands. United are in a state of disarray and need to rebuild a squad that has underperformed in recent seasons.