Football: Man United evasive on Moyes sack reports after poor performance

Manchester United's Scottish manager David Moyes addresses a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, southern Germany on April 8, 2014. --
Manchester United's Scottish manager David Moyes addresses a press conference on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Bayern Munich and Manchester United in Munich, southern Germany on April 8, 2014. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP

LONDON (AFP) - Manchester United said on Monday that David Moyes had not been sacked as manager, but refused to comment on widespread British media reports that he was about to be fired.

A spokesman from United told AFP in an email: "David Moyes has definitely not been sacked!"

However, when asked if he would leave before the end of the season, journalists were told: "We do not comment on speculation."

Several national newspapers claimed that United have decided to sack Moyes after a wretched debut campaign, while Sky Sports News declared that he could lose his job "within the next 24 hours".

Meanwhile, leading British bookmakers stopped taking bets on Moyes being fired.

Sky Bet cut their odds on Moyes leaving United before the end of May to 1/4 from 9/4, before suspending betting.

Ladbrokes installed United great Ryan Giggs, currently a player-coach at Old Trafford, as the 5/1 favourite to replace Moyes before they, too, suspended betting on their 'Next manager to leave' market.

Speculation about Moyes's future intensified following Sunday's 2-0 loss at Everton - the Scot's former club - which condemned reigning champions United to their 11th defeat of the season and meant they could no longer qualify for the Champions League.

Moyes was the chosen successor of former United boss Alex Ferguson - British football's most successful manager - following his retirement at the end of last season.

But Moyes has endured a torrid first season at Old Trafford, with United falling to seventh place in the Premier League and being knocked out of both domestic cup competitions.

They reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they lost to holders Bayern Munich, but will not compete in the competition next season for the first time since 1995.

United's owners, the US-based Glazer family, have so far been supportive.

Doubts, though, have now surfaced over whether they will allow Moyes to oversee the club's final four matches of the season, against Norwich City, Sunderland, Hull City and Southampton.

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