- Reports are suggesting that Erik ten Hag will be sacked regardless of the result of today’s match
- Ten Hag held a pre-match press conference on Thursday, which was a day before the reports that he is going to be sacked emerged
Manchester United and manager Erik ten Hag have been on the headlines of the sporting world since Friday evening.
According to reports, ten Hag will be sacked regardless of the result of today’s match. United are preparing to face Manchester City in the final of FA Cup later today at Wembley Stadium in a repeat of last year’s final which the Cytizens won.
While club sources are adamant that their focus in on the FA Cup final, the information spreading around is that today’s match will be the last time ten Hag will be leading Manchester United.
Manchester United have struggled under Erik ten Hag this season. Photo/ Eurosport.
The Red Devils have had a disappointing campaign in which they were knocked out of all competitions early except the FA Cup. Besides that, they’ve finished eighth in the league, which is their lowest since 1990. Their last shot of playing European football next season is beating Premier League champions Man City, which will be a difficult task.
Manchester United board have responded to the poor performance during the 2023/24 campaign by deciding to sack Erik ten Hag, according to The Guardian. The decision to part ways with the 54-year-old could be the first significant move made by Sir Jim Ratcliffe since he took a minority stake in Manchester United last year. It is understood that even securing victory over Pep Guardiola’s side will not help save ten Hag’s job as things stand.
However, BBC Sport reports that there has been no contact between Man Utd board and ten Hag or his representatives amidst the sacking reports. While we wait to find out if United have actually sacked ten Hag or not, these reports bring back memories of Louis van Gaal.
The Dutchman found out that he was going to be sacked after the final of the FA Cup, which Manchester United won against Crystal Palace. United reached out to van Gaal the following day to inform him that they had brought to an end his time at the club.
What Did Erik Ten Hag Say?
Ten Hag held a pre-match press conference on Thursday, which was a day before the reports that he is going to be sacked emerged.
Speaking to the reporters, he was asked whether he will be in a meeting with United’s new ownership group next week to which he responded by saying the meeting already took place. The Dutchman was also asked if he had been given any assurance of his future and he responded by saying: “It is not necessary. We will go for next season.”
Manchester United have had their worst season in recent years under Erik ten Hag. As already stated, they finished eighth in the Premier League, which is one place below David Moyes’ 2013/14 season.
While injuries has been the main issue that has seen United struggle during the 2023/24 season, questions have also been raised over the quality of ten Hag’s coaching.
The Dutchman, who led the Red Devils to Carabao Cup triumph last season, has failed to bring the best out of several players in the squad this campaign. Antony, who arrived in 2022 for £86 million, has failed to impress on the pitch.
Meanwhile, Andre Onana has had a difficult debut season and even admitted that it took him six months “to feel good at Man Utd”. Mason Mount, who was signed from Chelsea last summer, has barely played. Ten Hag has failed to get the best out of Marcus Rashford this season and had a stand-off with Jadon Sancho, which resulted in the English winger returning to Borussia Dortmund on loan.
United have had several disappointing results this season, which could cost ten Hag his job. The Red Devils were thrashed 3-0 at home by Bournemouth and and recently suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat by Crystal Palace.
On top of that, they have squandered crucial leads several times, which is one of the reasons they finished bottom of their Champions League group. Their journey to the FA Cup final was chaotic in that after securing a memorable 4-3 win over Liverpool, they blew away a 3-0 lead against Championship club Coventry City and had to win through penalties.
Erik ten Hag. Photo/ Manchester Evening News.
Conclusion
Recalling Erik ten Hag first season in England and second, sacking the Dutchman will cause division among fans. Whereas some want him to go, others argue that the team has struggled with injuries which explains some disappointing results throughout the campaign. Casemiro, who has spent his entire career playing as a defensive midfielder, has recently been playing as a centre-back due to the absence of Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire due to injuries.
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