REPORTS: Jose Mourinho to be in Old Trafford dugout before next Premier League match

Is the hammer finally going to fall?

After David Moyes, Manchester United seemed determined not to fire another manager mid-season. Such an unseemly business. Not as unseemly as missing out on the Champions League, perhaps. One day after it was suggested United risked missing out on preferred candidate and all-round good guy Jose Mourinho due to their faffing about, the Sun report that the club are ready to sack Louis van Gaal this week. Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Sunderland leaves United six points off the top four and this week's Europa League clash with Danish club Midtjylland is a timely reminder that the club don't not want to play in next season's Europa League. With an FA Cup clash away to Shrewsbury at the weekend Ed Woodward and the United board have a little bit of time to instigate regime change before they welcome Arsenal to Old Trafford on 28th February. Van Gaal's case does not look to strong as, despite spending £250million, his points total of 41 is United's worst after 25 Premeir League games - worse even than Moyesy.