Jose Mourinho is ready and willing to walk into Louis van Gaal's shoes at Manchester United.

Van Gaal is on the brink at Old Trafford after Saturday's dismal home defeat to Norwich City in the Barclays Premier League took his team's recent run to three wins out of 13 in all competitions.

Despite a private vote of confidence from the United hierarchy just a fortnight ago, the manner of the weekend's defeat has changed the mood at boardroom level at Old Trafford.

Jose Mourinho (centre left) is ready and willing to replace Louis van Gaal if he is sacked by Manchester United

Mourinho, pictured walking near his house on Sunday morning, would jump at the chance to replace Van Gaal

Van Gaal oversaw another defeat as Manchester United boss on Saturday and his side have won three in 13

Van Gaal will in all likelihood be sacked if United fail to get anything from Stoke City on Boxing Day and could even go before then.

The Stoke game is quickly followed by a home game with Chelsea two days later and if United lose both they will be cut adrift from the top four.

With Mourinho out of work after his sacking at Chelsea last week, the Portuguese would be high on United's shortlist of replacements, along with current assistant manager Ryan Giggs.

And it is understood that Mourinho would jump at the chance to move to Old Trafford, telling friends last week that there are some jobs that are impossible to turn down.

United have previously baulked at making a move for Mourinho, with key figures such as former chief executive David Gill and club legend Sir Bobby Charlton concerned about the amount of 'noise' that tends to accompany the two-time Champions League winner and indeed his tendency to stay at clubs for a relatively short amount of time.

Those reservations still exist at boardroom level at Old Trafford but with Van Gaal currently taking the club backwards – his record in the Premier League is now barely any better than his predecessor David Moyes – the landscape at United is changing.

Cameron Jerome (third right ) celebrates after putting Norwich ahead against Manchester United on Saturday

Mourinho (pictured in 2009 at Old Trafford) has told friends 'some jobs are impossible to turn down'

Sir Bobby Charlton (middle row, 2R) has raised concerns about the amount of 'noise' Mourinho generates

UNITED'S NEXT FIVE FIXTURES December 26: Stoke (A) December 28: Chelsea (H) January 2: Swansea (H) January 9: Sheff Utd (H - FA Cup third round) January 12: Newcastle (A) (All games are Premier League unless stated) Advertisement

Sir Bobby, for example, is a less powerful voice at Old Trafford than he used to be and the decision on hiring and firing this time round will be taken by chief executive Ed Woodward and the club's owners the Glazer family, with advisory input from Gill and club icon Sir Alex Ferguson.

One option that will be considered at United is for Giggs to take the job until the end of the season. That, however, would run the risk of other more high-profile candidates looking elsewhere for work.

One name sure to enter the frame is Pep Guardiola, who confirmed on Sunday he will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, to be replaced by Carlo Ancelotti.

However, United fear that Guardiola's move to Manchester City next summer is a done deal.

Pep Guardiola is leaving Bayern Munich, but United fear a move to Manchester City is already done

Mourinho (centre), who is keen to move straight back into management, was at Brighton on Saturday

Mourinho, pictured in 2009 in the Manchester United dugout, could potentially return there as manager

Van Gaal must bring about a startling turnaround in form and mood at United if he is to survive his second Christmas and New Year at the club.

There is no burning desire to sack the Dutchman but Saturday's result was a new low for Van Gaal and it has not gone unnoticed in the boardroom that United's players did not look motivated on Saturday while the Old Trafford support has already made up its mind about their manager.

There have been doubts in the United dressing room about Van Gaal's tactics for weeks but those attitudes have hardened significantly in recent days and weeks with some senior players now convinced that a change must be made if the club is not to finish the season outside the top four again.

Sir Alex Ferguson (left) would give advice to Ed Woodward and the Glazer family about the next manager

Van Gaal was booed by the Manchester United supporters as he left the Old Trafford pitch on Saturday

Guus Hiddink (left) has replaced Mourinho at Chelsea, and could appoint Didier Drogba as his No 2

Van Gaal himself was not his usual robust self after Saturday's game, admitting that the club would lose faith in him if things don't improve immediately. He did claim, however, that he maintains the support of Woodward and his players.

Van Gaal said: 'Now I have not spoken [to the board]. Only at the end and Ed was very fast out of the dressing room. But I feel that support, yes. And the most important support is from the players.

'It is always like that because the players have to do it on the pitch and the chemistry between the players and the managers and his staff is very important. But of course the belief of the fans in the manager is also very important.

Despite being sacked last week, many Chelsea fans sung Mourinho's name and held up banners of support

Jerome (top centre) helped Norwich to victory, and Van Gaal admitted United's fortunes must improve

Van Gaal still believes he has the backing of the board and the players despite United's poor form of late

'We are in a bad period, we have lost three matches in a row and their belief has been tested. It's tested now and it shall decrease and yeah, it's also important how the fans are thinking, of course.'

Van Gaal has previously said that he would walk away if he felt he had lost the support of his dressing room. Asked if he still sensed the players' backing, he said: 'Yes – I have seen the reaction of the players to me [afterwards].