Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has called on Manchester United's hierarchy to look at Aston Villa's Unai Emery as a possible replacement for Michael Carrick, labelling the Spanish manager a 'tactical genius'.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel expressed doubts about Carrick's readiness for such a high-pressure role, while also offering scathing criticism of the players at Manchester United.
Fans aren't foolish. They come week in, week out, see what's happening, and know exactly where the problems lie, he stated.
He went on to describe the team's performances as dreadful and nightmare-inducing, despite Carrick’s commendable efforts last season in steering the club back into the Champions League.
Despite rumours linking the club with Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann, Mikel firmly believes Emery should top the list of candidates. When asked to choose between Howe and Nagelsmann, the former player responded:
Neither. I'd pick Unai Emery.
Mikel acknowledged that Emery's tenure at Arsenal was marred by the challenges of following Arsene Wenger’s legacy and the transitional phase, but noted that the coach has since learnt valuable lessons and has been performing wonders with Aston Villa.
To underline Emery's managerial prowess, Mikel pointed to Aston Villa's impressive 2-1 victory over Manchester City. He believes the team displayed exceptional intensity and wasn't afraid to match one of the Premier League's frontrunners.
