Erik ten Hag’s job is under threat. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
Manchester United legend Gary Neville says the pressure is on Erik ten Hag and a decision over his future will be made after appointments above his head are made.
Nottingham Forest consigned United to another dismal defeat on Saturday, leaving the Red Devils in 7th.
United are already out of Europe and the Carabao Cup, and they face an almighty task to finish in the top four.
Uncertainty over United’s takeover has hindered Ten Hag’s side this term but in some ways it has aided his future, as the Glazers have not felt in a position to sack the Dutchman.
However, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe now holding a 25% stake in the club, the spotlight is back on Ten Hag’s future.
And Neville says that Ten Hag must finish the season strongly as United focus on other decisions, otherwise it will be his job on the line.
United could finish the year in 9th (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
‘I’m not really sure what this Manchester United team is. It’s a very difficult watch. I think everyone accepted that Erik ten Hag did a very good job in his first season,’ said Neville.
‘With the new ownership, Sir Dave Brailsford’s going to be on a watching brief, week in, week out now. We’re going to see him appear there in the directors’ box.
‘He’s going to look at what this club is, on and off the pitch. What he’s seeing at this moment in time he isn’t going to like, along with all the fans behind the goal who travelled to Nottingham today.
‘Ten Hag needs his players back – [Lisandro] Martinez, [Harry] Maguire, Casemiro, [Rasmus] Hojlund, Luke Shaw… and he needs to somehow finish the season strongly.
‘But it’s been a really up-and-down season. It’s more down than up. Some of these performances are really, really poor. Well below anything that should be required at this level.
‘Erik ten Hag will be under pressure, there’s no doubt about that. They’re obviously going to appoint those three roles – CEO, sporting director and head of recruitment – they’ll all come in and the rest of them will go.
‘The coach is the one that will be their biggest deliberation, it always is in a football club, because you don’t sack a coach easily.”
‘They’re out of Europe and they’re out of the Carabao Cup. They need to get their players fit and somehow try to push towards Champions League football and see where it takes them.
‘But at the moment, they look well off it and there are six or seven teams that are in far better shape than them. It seems a million miles away.’
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