Come on in and join the club! Get our daily Manchester United email newsletter Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

David Moyes would bring immediate success to Old Trafford if he was named as Sir Alex Ferguson’s successor, but Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp would struggle, according to a simulation run using Football Manager 2013.

During Moyes simulation as Fergie's replacement, the "former" Everton boss added yet another Premier League title and a League Cup to Manchester United’s already bulging trophy cabinet by finishing ahead of Mourinho’s rejuvenated Chelsea in the league and comfortably dispatching Stoke at Wembley.

Moyes was characteristically quiet in the transfer window, bringing Leighton Baines with him from Everton for £19million and selling the much-criticised Anderson to Juventus for £7million.

Moyes found a winning formula up front, with the strike partnership of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie scoring 40 goals between them in all competitions. Shinji Kagawa and David de Gea also stood out in Moyes’ squad with the latter keeping 13 clean sheets as United improved on the defensive frailties of this season.

No way for Jose

(Image: Getty)

Mourinho's simulation as United boss saw him end his season in the hot-seat trophyless after finishing second to Manchester City in the league and suffering defeats in the FA Cup and Champions League finals.

United actually found themselves down in third place heading into January before Mourinho sold Antonio Valencia, Danny Welbeck and Anderson after they failed to impress the ‘Special One’. He re-invested some of the £47 million he received for those three players into signing Marouane Fellaini and Andre Schurrle.

Mourinho was able to motivate the players in the second half of the season as they finished just two points adrift of City. Like Moyes, Mourinho was able to produce good form out of van Persie and Rooney as they surpassed the 40 goal mark between them.

De Gea also benefited from Mourinho’s leadership as he conceded just 31 goals in the league – six lower than this season. Mourinho failed to beat his old team Chelsea in the FA Cup final, losing 3-2 after extra time before being tactically outclassed by City in the Champions League final two weeks later.

Not Gunnar work

(Image: Getty)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is another name currently being linked to the Manchester United job but under Football Management simulation conditions he too found his league challenge thwarted by Manchester City.

Solskjaer was the only one of the managers to heavily strengthen the United squad in the summer by bringing in Yohan Cabaye, Christian Eriksen, Kyriakos Papadopolous and Leandro Damiao for a combined £57 million.

One feature of Solskjaer’s style of play was that goals flowed throughout every area of the team – no fewer than 13 players had at least one goal to their name.

Van Persie topped the scoring charts with 20 goals in all competitions but the team struggled defensively, which cost them any chance of the league title when they threw away a 2-0 lead against City in the final Manchester derby of the season.

Solskjaer didn't go trophyless, however, as he brought the FA Cup back to Old Trafford after a nine-year absence after United recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Swansea at Wembley.

Klopped off

(Image: Getty)

Jurgen Klopp was the only manager to be sacked in the simulation. His attempt to bring Dortmund's hard pressing style of play over to England lasted less than a year as he was relieved of his duties in mid-January 2014.

He brought in Cagliari’s Rajda Nainggolan for £20 million but was forced to sell a number of first team players in January including Vidic, Nani and Welbeck after they voiced their unhappiness at the team’s sixth place position in the league.

Klopp was not helped by the fact that van Persie was injured for the majority of his time at the helm but he was able to fashion a partnership between Rooney and Hernandez which produced 17 goals between them.

The final nail in the coffin for Klopp came after a 2-1 loss to Chelsea which left United 12 points adrift of leaders City.

Tale of the tape: How each manager fared in the simulation

David Moyes

1st in the PL – 79 points

Relatively quiet in the transfer market – Signs Baines for £19 million, sells Anderson for £7 million. Typical of his time at Everton?

Loses to Barcelona in the CL quarters

Wins League Cup

Out of FA Cup to Charlton in 4 round

Best players: RVP: 39 appearances, 21 goals, 4 assists, 7 PoM awards, 7.54 avg; Rooney: 37 games, 19 goals, 7.78 avg rating; Kagawa: 29 games, 11 goals; De Gea: 53 games, 52 conceded

Jose Mourinho

2nd in PL – 77 points

Sells Valencia, Welbeck and Anderson in a January clearout when the team is in 3.

Signs Fellaini and Schurrle for combined £32 million

Loses in CL and FA Cup finals

Best players: RVP: 42 games, 22 goals; Rooney: 50 games, 20 goals; Kagawa: 49 games, 18 goals; De Gea: 45 games, 39 conceded. (Gets injured, Lindegaard under performs. Costs United title)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Finishes 2nd to City

Wins FA Cup

Signs Eriksen, Cabaye, Papadopolous and Damiao for £57 million.

Best players: RVP – 39 games, 20 goals; Nani – 43 games, 15 goals; Rooney – 41 games, 14 goals; Kagawa – 39 games, 12 goals

Jurgen Klopp