Erik ten Hag's Manchester United tenure hit a low point this week as they were thrashed by Crystal Palace on Monday night and the defeat prompted more questions over whether the Dutchman will still be in charge next term.

Ten Hag presided over an encouraging first season in charge of United, with a top-four finish secured as well as a trophy in the form of the Carabao Cup. However, this time around the squad has been ravaged by injuries and they find themselves in eighth place in the table with a negative goal difference and just three games left to play.

United could still salvage something from their season if they can somehow win the FA Cup final against Manchester City, but that will be a tall order given just how inferior Ten Hag and United are to Guardiola and City.

One man who has been linked with the United manager's job should Ten Hag leave is England boss Gareth Southgate. Southgate divides opinion among football fans who think he should have achieved more with the Three Lions, but there may be some positives to his arrival.

1 Morale Will Improve

New-manager bounce

The new-manager bounce is a very real thing in football and United benefitted from it a few years ago following Jose Mourinho's sacking. Mourinho was dismissed after a defeat at Anfield in December 2018 and his replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer went on to win 14 of his first 17 games in charge, including his first eight in a row.

It's hard to see United bouncing back from their current plight while Ten Hag is still in charge. Some fans might argue that he deserves more time working under a new structure but the reality is that, rightly or wrongly, there comes a time when the manager passes the point of no return, and that may have been the case on Monday night.

2 England Players Boosted

Rashford and Maguire would benefit

Southgate is often accused of favouritism when it comes to selecting his England squads and Harry Maguire is among the players it is claimed he selects when the defender does not deserve to be chosen.

Maguire struggled for form for a couple of years but has enjoyed a mini-career revival this term, with chances aplenty coming his way at United owing to the team's defensive injury crisis. Maguire has rarely disappointed for England and he is likely to start for the Three Lions when Euro 2024 kicks off next month.

Marcus Rashford could do with a shot in the arm and Southgate's arrival at United might galvanise him, while United also have England internationals in Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo.

3 Sancho Unlikely to Return

Winger hasn't figured for England in years

Jadon Sancho seems perfectly happy back at Dortmund and the prospect of returning to United to work under Southgate is unlikely to appeal to the winger, who has not featured in an England squad for over two and a half years.

The winger has only made one appearance for his country since missing a penalty in the Euro 2020 final shoot-out, as he featured for 73 minutes in a World Cup qualifying win over Andorra in October 2021. Southgate said last September that it was down to Sancho to prove that he deserved to play for England but the reality is that even during his best years at Dortmund he was not a mainstay in the national team, often featuring off the bench.

4 System Change

Midfield could be shored up

Southgate is generally a pragmatic manager with England, but it remains to be seen whether that is as a result of the nature of international football as a whole, or whether that is genuinely his preferred approach.

The best international teams tend to play with less flair than the best club teams and that is because international squads are comprised of players who are all used to playing with different tactics at their clubs.

Southgate tends to get panned when he chooses to line up with two defensive midfielders but United might have benefitted from doing exactly that given how often they have been overrun in midfield this season.

5 United's Chances of Signing England Stars Improve

Southgate has worked with top Premier League talent

England's last squad included players from 16 different clubs, and Southgate might fancy bringing a few of them to United. Don't expect him to bring in John Stones and Kyle Walker but other players who might tickle his fancy include Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and even Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.

United have been linked with centre-back Branthwaite in recent times and he has emerged as one of the best young defenders in the Premier League, while Bowen has had an excellent season at West Ham and Gallagher is currently at an impasse in contract negotiations with Chelsea, with his current deal due to expire next year.

6 Southgate Will Toe the Line In New Structure

Southgate's personality will appeal to decision makers

Southgate is not outwardly confrontational and it's easy to see him operating under whatever structure INEOS puts in place above him at Old Trafford. United are in the process of modernising their football operation, appointing highly rated people in important positions.

Omar Berrada was poached from Manchester City and is United's new CEO, while Jason Wilcox departed Southampton to become United's technical director and Dan Ashworth will soon become their sporting director, once a compensation agreement with his previous employer Newcastle United is thrashed out.

Ten Hag was not so amiable to the club's plans for a structure above him when he came in, requesting Ralf Rangnick's planned consultancy role to be scrapped on his arrival.

7 Fans Wouldn't Like Southgate Appointment

Southgate may be on INEOS's shortlist but not many United fans are too excited by the prospect of the England boss taking over from Ten Hag. He would be starting in the role on the back foot and, while match-going United fans are typically supportive of their managers through thick and thin, this feels like a strange fit.

A quick search for 'Southgate' on social media mostly brings up United fans disillusioned at the prospect of him taking over, as well as opposition fans mocking the idea and hoping that his appointment comes to fruition just so that United's struggles continue.

8 Another Bad Season Feels Likely

Uninspiring choice would lead to more of the same

This prediction is the most speculative of the bunch but Southgate has not managed at club level for 15 years and it's difficult to imagine his arrival prompting a turnaround in the club's fortunes. Judging off what we've seen on the international stage, the England manager is tactically limited and there are a host of brilliant managers in the Premier League that would likely outwit him in the technical area.

United could still finish this season as low down as ninth in the table and United fans should prepare themselves for a similarly disappointing campaign next time around if Southgate gets the nod.