High-flying ex-Man Utd coach tipped as dark horse to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool by EFL chairman

KIERAN MCKENNA has been tipped to replace Jurgen Klopp as the Liverpool manager.

The former Manchester United coach has impressed during his time in charge of Ipswich Town.

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Kieran McKenna has been tipped for the Liverpool job[/caption]

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Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony thinks McKenna is good enough for a top club[/caption]

AP

Jurgen Klopp is leaving the Reds this summer[/caption]

McKenna, 37, has led the Tractor Boys to the top of the Championship this season.

That is despite tough competition from the likes of Leicester City, Southampton and Leeds.

What has made the achievement even more impressive is that it comes in the team’s first season back in the division since 2019.

McKenna’s efforts have not gone unnoticed in the football world as he has been linked to some top jobs.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has even backed the Northern Irishman as a potential candidate for the Liverpool job.

He told talkSPORT: “Yeah, I was being laughed out of the studio by [producer] Luke – a Liverpool fan – this morning, as an outside dark horse (to succeed Klopp).

“I love his brand of football. I’ve been watching him since last year in League One and what he’s done.

“You can say that Ipswich are a big club, but they didn’t go out and spend mega-millions in the summer.

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“They kept a large part of the squad and the team from League One and they’re top of the Championship with five or six games to go, it’s incredible really.

“It’s not just his coaching and managing, it’s his style as well. It’s great to watch.

“If you watched that game yesterday, it was a great advert for the industry. It was just non-stop. Russell [Martin] does a great job with Southampton and his style.

“Then you’ve got Ipswich with their style and it was just an enthralling game to watch and that’s what you want to see. I think he’s destined for the top.

“I think he wins promotion with Ipswich this year and he’ll surprise people with what he’ll do with them in the Premier League and within five or six years, he’ll be managing a top six club.

“That’s with due respect to Ipswich. I respect everything they’ve done there, but I don’t think you can keep a guy like that down forever.”

Liverpool are on the lookout for a new manager following Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that he would be stepping down after this season.

Bayer Leverkusen and former Red Xabi Alonso had been the frontrunner but he has committed himself to the Bundesliga club for another season.

While Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorin also remains a potential candidate to arrive at Anfield.