Premier League: From Zinedine Zidane to Neil Warnock, the bookmakers' best bets for Jose Mourinho's successor

As Manchester United survey the wreckage of Jose Mourinho’s reign, the troubled club’s hierarchy would be wise to swallow their pride and copy the successful blueprint established by bitter rivals Manchester City. [caption id=“attachment_5305571” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho. AFP[/caption] Mourinho was sacked by United on Tuesday as the Portuguese coach paid the price for the team’s worst start to a season since 1990. Now the focus at Old Trafford turns to the search for Mourinho’s successor and the club’s plan to escape the rut they have been stuck in since Alex Ferguson retired. Football fans, media and betting sites have been speculating endlessly about the identity of Mourinho’s replacement, with some people even going as far as to add the likes of Sam Allardyce and Phil Neville into the fray. Former United players Laurent Blanc and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer currently top the list of candidates who could take Mourinho’s place at the helm of the club. Laurent Blanc enjoyed an immensely successful spell in charge of Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and Solksjaer is currently in charge of Norwegian club Molde, who won their first two Tippeligaen titles in his first two years as manager. At the moment, Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is also one of the favourites to replace Mourinho, with former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane also a strong contender. However, Zidane’s current state of unemployment has made him a stronger candidate than the Argentine Pochettino, who is currently midway through the season with third-placed Tottenham.Zidane, 46, has impeccable credentials, which would ensure he would be respected by a United squad that grew sick of Mourinho’s relentless hard-nosed approach. Pochettino has caught the eye with his fine work at Espanyol, Southampton and now Tottenham, where the 46-year-old has blended a clutch of talented youngsters and cut-price signings into one of the most attractive sides in Europe. United legend Ryan Giggs, now the Wales boss, and Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe have also been mentioned. Carlos Queiroz, who served as one of Ferguson’s assistants, is said to be in the frame for the caretaker position. With inputs from Agencies.