Gareth Southgate attended Manchester United's 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday night as he continues to be linked with succeeding the underfire Erik ten Hag.
Goals from Michael Olise (2), Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell consigned the Reds to a 13th Premier League defeat of the season and dented their chances of finishing the campaign in the European qualification places.
United currently sit eighth in the Premier League table and, as a result, Ten Hag is facing an uncertain future as Sir Jim Ratcliffe prepares to continue his overhaul at Old Trafford this summer.
READ MORE: A £155m shambles - Man United embarrassment defined by the worst signing in their history
READ MORE: Why Marcel Sabitzer did not re-sign for Manchester United after loan spell
According to Foot Mercato, Southgate has been identified as the preferred candidate to be United's new manager and could be appointed after the conclusion of England's Euro 2024 campaign in July.
At Selhurst Park on Monday, Southgate was seen talking to Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish before his former side inflicted the heaviest defeat of the season on United.
But despite reports of succeeding Ten Hag at United next season, the reason behind Southgate's attendance will have been primarily to assess the performances of Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount, as well as Palace's English contingent including Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton, ahead of this summer's European Championships in Germany.
As well as Southgate, United's recently-appointed technical director Jason Wilcox was also in attendance. He joined United from Southampton last month, having previously worked at Manchester City, and was at Selhurst Park with interim CEO Jean-Claude Blanc.
