Darren Fletcher delivers new update on Man Utd managerial situation after dismal FA Cup exit as he admits short-term future 'might not be pretty'

Fletcher became the first United manager since David Moyes in 2014 to oversee an elimination from the FA Cup third round and the defeat by Brighton surely harms his chances of remaining in charge of the team, with his former Red Devils' team-mates Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick also vying to be given the job for the rest of the campaign after being interviewed by the club. 

United now only have the Premier League to focus on after also being knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the first hurdle by fourth-division outfit Grimsby Town in August, meaning the club are due to play the fewest number of games in a season since 1914-15.

While Fletcher said in his press conference that he had not spoken to chief executive Omar Berrada or director of football Jason Wilcox about remaining in the post, in an interview with TNT Sports he implied that someone else was going to be given the job. 

Fletcher told TNT Sports: "Someone is going to come in and lead them, they need to make sure they have a lot to play for this season. The biggest thing for me is that the group of players, whoever leads them, comes together. It's over to them, they need to make sure that they have got a lot to play for this season. This team is still good enough to achieve success this season but they have to dig deep."

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Fletcher admitted that the confidence of United's players was low during the game, lamenting how their heads dropped when Brajan Gruda gave Brighton the lead in the 12th minute.

"I think you could see the players are fragile but they've got to respond," he said. "Confidence is one of the most powerful things in football so when you don't have it, you have to dig deep and then the confidence comes back. We started OK and then the goal knocked the stuffing out of us. I challenged them at half-time to move the ball with tempo instead of just composure. When we got back to 2-1 I thought here we go, the crowd was up, the energy was up but we couldn't get it over the line and get an equalising goal."

Fletcher said that the new manager needed to raise the team's confidence and build unity. "They've just got to come together," he added. "It's only them in the situation and only them that can do something about it. Build the confidence, ground out some results, it might not be pretty at times. I'm sure if the payers show the right reaction, the fans will get behind them like they always do because there is still a lot to play for in the Premier League this season."

United have six days before their next game against local rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford next Saturday. Fletcher said he had not been given any indication on whether or not he will be in charge for the visit of Pep Guardiola's side and media reports suggest that it is between former manager Solskjaer and Carrick, who was the Norwegian's assistant and became interim coach for three games when his boss was sacked in 2021, to take charge of the team for the rest of the campaign. The club are expected to appoint a long-term successor with Premier League experience ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Fletcher said: "I have not had conversations, just finished the game, doing media, speaking to the staff, the players. Any time you come in at Man United it is a massive job. There is still a lot to play for this season. These players have the ability to qualify for the Champions League and that should be their mindset. The players have to get together find a way of improving quickly and don’t waste the season."