Gary Neville reveals he ‘never saw Gareth Southgate as a Man United manager’ but admits Dan Ashworth’s arrival could pave way for England boss to take up Old Trafford reins

Gary Neville and Roy Keane believe Gareth Southgate can become the next Manchester United manager thanks to his links with incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth.

Southgate is gearing up for the upcoming European Championship with England, who go into the tournament in Germany as one of the leading contenders to go all the way. 

But there is a degree of uncertainty over what is to come next for the Three Lions boss beyond the end of the competition with links between him and the position at Old Trafford emerging. 

While Southgate has some experience as a club manager – he took charge of Middlesbrough from 2006-09 – there would surely be doubts over whether he can make the transition from an international role.

Yet Manchester United legends Neville and Keane have backed Southgate to do a job at Old Trafford should Erik ten Hag leave the club, though the former admitted it would leave his current employers England in the lurch ahead of the Euros.

Erik ten Hag has struggled in his second season in charge of Manchester United and is under pressure

Gary Neville believes that Dan Ashworth’s arrival at Man United means a move for Southgate appears a more realistic proposition

‘I never saw Gareth Southgate as a Manchester United manager, psychologically, I never saw that. I can see it now, now Dan Ashworth has come in,’ Neville told the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

‘I just think, what does Erik ten Hag need to do to stay as Manchester United manager? So, for instance, is the FA Cup enough, or does he need to get top four, or top five, Champions League?

‘I think if Gareth is leaving, I think to be honest with you, you’ll have seen this in tournaments, but it’s never been easy. England will have qualifiers starting up again a couple of months after the tournament, so they’ll have to have a new manager in. And Gareth will need to sort his future out, to get a club for potentially the start of next season. 

‘So, I think if it’s done maturely, I can see how it would be brought forward in terms of Gareth. Forget Manchester United, England would need to appoint a new manager.

‘So, they are going to have to appoint a new manager pre-tournament [the Euros this summer], probably.’

Neville’s former team-mate Keane agreed with the sentiment, and claimed he wasn’t surprised by the links between Southgate and United given his previous affiliations with Ashworth from their time at the FA together. 

‘I could see that happening [Gareth Southgate being the next Manchester United manager],’ Keane added on Stick To Football. 

‘Well, obviously everyone’s thinking he’s probably going to be with England this summer if he has a good Championship, thinking if they could win it. And if they don’t, then maybe they’re thinking maybe you’ve ran your race with him. 

Roy Keane echoed Neville’s sentiments and said that he could see Southgate taking the role

Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently purchased a 27.7 per cent stake in the club and has taken control of football operations

‘His connection with Dan Ashworth, who he has worked with previously. Yeah, I’m not that surprised with it.’

There is no guarantee a vacancy arises at Old Trafford as Ten Hag could retain his job beyond the end of the season.

The Dutchman has endured a trying second campaign at the club, but does have United in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. A trophy and securing Champions League football could be enough for him to keep hold of the reins at Old Trafford.

And Arsenal icon Ian Wright believes it is ‘off-colour’ to speculate over Ten Hag’s position, while also claiming it is ‘out of order’ to discuss Southgate’s own future while he is dealing with the pressures of building up to the Euros. 

He also suggested that Ten Hag had the appearance of someone ‘at the end of his tether’ during the Liverpool clash. 

While Wright said he felt Ten Hag would be given time by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the ex-England striker also claimed Southgate has the ‘stature’ to lead the Red Devils.  

‘You know what’s strange about it, is when you listen to Sir Jim Ratcliffe talk, how he admires Arsenal’s patience with Mikel Arteta, which obviously the FA Cup gave him even more time,’ he told Stick To Football. 

‘It gave me the impression that Sir Jim is going to give Erik ten Hag time. It feels like that because if you are talking about Arteta and patience, and he’s quite admirable about the way he is speaking about it.

Ian Wright claimed it was ‘off-colour’ to discuss Ten Hag’s position at United as he is under a huge amount of pressure

Southgate has worked alongside a number of Man United stars with England such as Marcus Rashford

‘I see Gareth Southgate standing on the line and the way he will be dressed, and his demeanour. I could see him; he’s got the stature to be Manchester United manager. The way he is. 

‘And we’re not talking about, I’m not being disrespectful, but in a kind of way I am but, his massive, big polo-necks, and he doesn’t look quite dressed, he looks like he’s got the stature for Manchester United with Erik ten Hag, sometimes you feel that. 

‘But for Gareth, talking about someone who looks the part, he’ll probably look the part standing on the line for Manchester United.’

Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright were speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet