Reportedly, Manchester United’s players harbor doubts regarding Erik ten Hag’s tenure as the club’s manager beyond this season.
The Red Devils suffered their 16th defeat of the season across all competitions, succumbing to a 3-1 loss against local rivals Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday.
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This defeat places United 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and six adrift of Tottenham in fifth, with Spurs having a game in hand. There’s also speculation that finishing fifth could still secure Champions League qualification due to UEFA’s new European Performance Spots.
According to The Daily Mail, despite complaints about their workload and training schedule, the United dressing room continues to support Ten Hag. However, there’s a growing sense among the players that Ten Hag may not remain in charge next season.
Instead, there are claims that they anticipate INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, to dismiss the Dutchman after his two-season stint. Ten Hag has reportedly engaged in multiple discussions with Ratcliffe and INEOS’ sporting director, Sir Dave Brailsford.
The United manager recently said he does not need a public vote of confidence from Ratcliffe. He said: “I’m here, I’m under contract for three seasons, so I don’t care. I’m only focusing on the process so I don’t care what’s going around me.
“I have many talks with Jim Ratcliffe but especially also with Sir Dave Brailsford so I know what we are talking about. I have a strong belief and I feel that they believe in me.
“I’m just focusing on the team and I have to find solutions for this team that they perform in the best way they can. It’s all about focusing on this and don’t get distracted by any noise. We’re talking about the future, we’re talking about a future together.”
However, despite maintaining a positive front publicly, reports indicate that in more private discussions, Ten Hag has acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his future.
The former Ajax strategist is said to have confided in coaching staff and agents, recognizing the possibility of losing his job.
INEOS’ strategy involves evaluating Ten Hag’s performance at the conclusion of the season. The 54-year-old will aim to finish the season on a high note to persuade his superiors that he is capable of guiding the club toward a brighter future.
However, his second season has been considerably worse than his first, despite reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals.
United’s Champions League campaign ended in disappointment during the group stage, and they suffered a humiliating defeat in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the hands of Newcastle.
With 11 losses in 27 Premier League matches this season and a goal difference of -2, United’s performance has been underwhelming. They have only scored 37 goals while conceding 39.
In contrast, league leaders Liverpool have scored 64 goals, conceded 25, and boast a remarkable +25 goal difference.
Despite a 3-1 defeat to City, Ten Hag claimed: “I think the performance is very good, only, of course, we are disappointed with the score. The togetherness but also the performance was very good. On another day, we could have won this game.
“The plan went well. It was very small margins. From this year on, I think we’re really progressing. There are still many games to play. Everyone can beat everyone, so things can quickly turn around. We have to win our games. Number five can also be a position for the Champions League, so we have to fight for it.”
