Erik ten Hag has two games to save his Man Utd job – three contenders could replace him

Pressure is mounting on Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag (Pictures: Getty)

Disgusting, embarrassing and pathetic were just a few of the words used to describe Manchester United after the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham at Old Trafford.

Just a few weeks ago the spotlight was on Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou following back-to-back losses but now Erik ten Hag is the manager facing growing and potentially insurmountable pressure.

Despite only scoring once, Tottenham ripped United apart during a one-sided opening 45 minutes and the contest felt all but over when the erratic Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a late lunge on England’s James Maddison.

Impressive Spurs scored twice more after the break, inflicting a painful defeat on Manchester United and piling the pressure on Ten Hag.

Now into his third season at Old Trafford, Ten Hag is still struggling to prove he has the minerals to bring the glory days back to Manchester United.

In the coming days he will no doubt publicly and privately point out he has lifted two major trophies since taking the job in the summer of 2022, but time is surely running out for Ten Hag to avoid getting the chop.

The Spurs defeat has left United just 12th in the Premier League – closer to the relegation zone than the top-four – and in an all-too familiar position in the table given their woes last season, when they slumped to their worst-ever finish.

Manchester United were thumped by Tottenham (Picture: Getty)

A lack of progress over the summer break was painfully clear to see during their opening-night clash with Fulham, when only a late and rare goal from summer signing Joshua Zirkzee spared Ten Hag from early scrutiny.

Humbling defeats to Brighton and Liverpool followed, with Manchester United only really clicking so far this season against newly-promoted Southampton and League One side Barnsley.

United’s weaknesses were exposed in back-to-back draws with struggling Crystal Palace and Dutch side Twente but even so Sunday’s dismal defeat to Tottenham felt like a tipping point.

A panel of pundits tearing into Manchester United on a Sunday evening is far from an anomaly but the scathing nature of the comments does not bode well for Ten Hag.

The club’s legendary defender Gary Neville described the performance as ‘absolutely disgusting’ while ex-England midfielder Jamie Redknapp said Ten Hag looked ‘completely out of his depth’ after the ’embarrassing’ defeat.

Manchester United’s new owners will no doubt be concerned but appear ready, for the time being at least, to stick with Ten Hag, despite flirting with several potential replacements over the summer.

But that could all change in a week that looks set to make or break Ten Hag’s tenure in charge.

The new format for European competitions gives teams time to recover from slow starts but losing to Porto on Thursday night – following the deflating draw with Twente – would leave United in a poor position in the Europa League table.

Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has a decision to make (Picture: Getty)

Ten Hag then takes his side to Aston Villa at the weekend where another setback in front of the Sky cameras could leave Manchester United around ten points off the top-four places after just seven games.

Being outplayed and outcoached by a Villa team who were battling relegation before Unai Emery’s appointment in the same year that Ten Hag arrived in England would also be symbolically damaging for the Dutchman.

More pertinently, the October international break would provide the United hierarchy with a small but potentially inviting window to finally part ways with Ten Hag and bring in his replacement.

Leading contenders to replace Erik ten Hag

If Manchester United pull the plug on Ten Hag, they need look no further than the 54-year-old’s own assistant for a potential successor.

By welcoming club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy to his coaching team over the summer, Ten Hag may have inadvertently fast-tracked his own dismissal and ultimately hired his own replacement.

Ruud van Nistelrooy could be eyeing the top job (Picture: Getty)

Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in 219 appearances for Manchester United, is at the start of his managerial career, having had brief stints in charge of Dutch clubs before returning to England.

The 48-year-old turned down top jobs to join Ten Hag’s coaching staff but would surely be asked to take over, at least on an interim basis, if United made a change.

Discussing his decision to return to Manchester United with fellow club legend Rio Ferdinand, Van Nistelrooy said last week: ‘It’s 100% the right decision.

‘I felt a strong feeling that I want to help build United – little by little – back to where we feel and know where the club should be.

‘I was on the managerial track. I managed PSV – an unbelievable experience – and I was in talks with clubs to manage, and I love it.

‘I had my staff all ready, and then I had a phone call. I was like, ‘jeez’. I never thought of it as a possibility.

‘Erik called me. I said I had to think about it, but I immediately felt, ‘wow’. I started to love the idea. Especially the big picture where it’s a new start with the new ownership and leadership. A phase where you start to rebuild and be a part of it.

‘I just want to contribute to where the club should be and, little by little, bring it there. I hope when they reach it, it will be soon. I want to contribute. I feel a strong feeling that I want to do that.’

Of course, Van Nistelrooy would not be the first Manchester United legend to be given the top job in recent years.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed as caretaker boss in late 2018 and got the job permanently three months later. His turbulent and trophy-less spell in charge ended during the 2021-22 campaign.

The manager most heavily linked with the Manchester United job over the past 12 months is probably ex-England boss Gareth Southgate.

Southgate was said to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos’ top target when they purchased a 27.7% stake in the club earlier this year.

Ex-England boss Gareth Southgate during the Euro 2024 final (Picture: Getty)

As a result, Southgate fielded several questions about Manchester United and his England future before he resigned following the Euro 2024 final.

Despite taking England to another major final, Southgate probably hindered his chances of getting a top job in club football as his outrageously talented Three Lions team flattered to deceive in Germany, with several top players failing to produce their best form.

Speaking for the first time since he quit England, Southgate insisted he was in no rush to return to work and may even consider a job outside of football management.

‘I’ve got lots of opportunities and I’m very open-mined about what’s next,’ he told Sky News. ‘That might be inside of football, that might be outside of football. I’m just going to take some time; refresh, recharge and then go from there.

Asked if he had been approached by any clubs offering him a job, Southgate responded: ‘I think people know that at the moment I need to get some energy back.

‘I’m intent on enjoying my life and I’m not going to rush into anything. I want to make sure that I make the right decision.

‘I’ve got some charities that I want to support which are very important to me but also there’s opportunities outside of football that I’m also quite interested in.’

Given Manchester United held talks with Thomas Tuchel over the summer, it would not be a surprise to see the German once again linked with the Premier League giants.

Tuchel has won trophies in England, France and Germany – guiding United’s domestic rivals Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 – so is certainly qualified to take over at Old Trafford.

Other possible contenders to replace Ten Hag include another ex-Chelsea boss in Graham Potter, the unsettled Eddie Howe and former Manchester United coach Kieran McKenna, currently at Ipswich Town.

If – and it’s a big if – Ten Hag begins to win back the faith of fans and the confidence of his squad against Porto and Aston Villa, this may of course all be moot.

But at best it will likely delay the inevitable. As Gary Lineker stressed after United’s defeat to Spurs, it is ‘hard to see’ Ten Hag turning things around. It appears to be only a matter of time before Manchester United pull the trigger.

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