Football news - Jose Mourinho sacked: Gary Neville, Graeme Souness and Gary Lineker reactions

"I've been fortunate to spend time at Tottenham's training ground, and for me he (Mauricio Pochettino) feels like the ideal candidate. United have tried managers who have won European cups, they've tried managers who have won multiple leagues.

"My view is they need someone who meets the three key principles of the football club, and that is promotion of youth, entertaining football, and to win football matches."

"With United 19 points behind Liverpool after 17 games, with the vast majority of players playing way below their best... and dour football to boot.

"Given Mourinho was allowed to spend hundreds of millions on those players, the split seemed inevitable.

"Would imagine one of the main reasons for sacking Mourinho now would be to stop the attempted mass exodus of their best players next month."

"People didn’t want to go to watch their team any more. People on Twitter were offering out their tickets, completely fed up with the brand of football.

"He wasn’t brave enough to manage a team that played attacking football because he isn’t a creative coach. He was a destructive coach, and they are two a penny."

"I think he (Mourinho) would have known this was coming. I'm not surprised... with the money he has spent and how the players are playing at this present moment in time... I said on Sunday, I couldn't see any light at the end of the tunnel for them.

"I was at Bournemouth two weeks ago. I'm a season ticket holder there. My season ticket is 10 rows behind the dugout and I saw a man who didn't want to be there."

"He is not the only one who should depart."

"Inevitable is the word I'd use. Mourinho had to go in the end. Simply not getting anywhere near enough out of his players."

"If you were looking to go to a club and do everything wrong and get the sack, you would do what he's done.

"He stayed in a hotel... as a manager you shouldn't be going to a hotel every day because it sends the wrong message.

"The style of play wasn't right, United fans want to see their team play with flair. Falling out with the players and the board. It's been inevitable since the Brighton game, everything was wrong.

"Right now is the right time.. things aren’t improving & he has taken it as far as he can... I was one of his biggest advocates 2 & half years ago when he joined the club & felt he stabilised #mufc when we needed it... You can’t ignore what Jose has achieved as a manager previously but I feel the time has come for fresh ideas at United.

"People have been critical of my comments on TV of late but as a fan I am saying it as I see it. The club needs an injection of positivity & hopefully this decision will allow that to happen. I wish Jose all the best & wish him well for the future."

"The thing that is annoying me the most right now is why are people so focused on Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho. Let's focus on rebuilding something solid instead of being in a playground. Doing this is only disrespecting the badge, from now we only need positivity."