According to The Sun, Manchester United may have unintentionally played a part in Enzo Maresca’s departure from Chelsea on New Year’s Day.
The Italian coach was sacked after 19 months in charge at Stamford Bridge, with internal discussions at Manchester United believed to have contributed to the chain of events that led to his removal.
Talk linking Maresca with a future move to Manchester City was reportedly encouraged by conversations within the Old Trafford hierarchy, which helped fuel speculation about him as a possible successor to Pep Guardiola.
That speculation became one of the elements that ultimately pushed Chelsea into making the decision to dismiss him.
It remains unclear whether Manchester United were deliberately trying to destabilise a rival through these discussions.
Both clubs are currently competing for a top-four finish and Champions League qualification, with Chelsea sitting in fourth place only on goal difference ahead of United.
Chelsea have named a temporary replacement, appointing under-21s coach Calum McFarlane as interim boss for tomorrow’s match against Manchester City.
Manchester United play Leeds United earlier on Sunday and could move into fourth place if they win at Elland Road and Chelsea fail to beat City.
United manager Ruben Amorim is not under immediate threat, but just three league wins in their last ten matches have raised new concerns about his tactical direction.
The Portuguese coach has continued to stick with a back-three system, which has frustrated senior club figures who are increasingly uneasy about how rigid the setup has become.
Tensions have grown between Amorim and football director Jason Wilcox, and the 40-year-old now needs to produce steadier results to retain the club’s trust.
Although he still has the board’s backing for now, a lack of improvement in performances could soon put his position at risk.
