Manchester United could have Erik ten Hag‘s replacement lined up if the struggling boss gets the boot.
After another rough day at the office for Ten Hag’s squad, who were thrashed 3-0 at home by arch-rivals Liverpool under new manager Arne Slot, the rumour mill is churning overtime about his job security. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher didn’t mince his words after the match when he said: “It’s early days, three games into the season. But I’d be surprised if he’s still in charge at the end of the season.”
Carragher didn’t stop there; he slammed United’s playing style, taking a pop at the Red Devils’ new technical director Jason Wilcox’s previous chat about having a clear game plan. He said: “The football, the way they talk about playing, Jason Wilcox made a statement last season about a philosophy of play. There isn’t one. You can see it with Slot in the first three games.”
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He then turned his sights on United’s top dogs, saying: “If we’re being totally honest, the ownership didn’t want to keep him. They won the cup final and it put them in a position where they weren’t sure what to do.”
The former Liverpool defender added: “They were scurrying around Europe speaking to agents and other managers seeing if they could find someone better than Erik ten Hag… And listen they’re probably delaying the inevitable,” reports the Express.
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(Image: PA)
If United decide to call time on Ten Hag’s underwhelming stint at Old Trafford, after an FA Cup victory over Manchester City saved his job following a shocking eighth place league finish last season, another pundit believes the fallen giants have already got his replacement warming up.
Old Trafford legend Ruud van Nistelrooy was brought in as an assistant coach this summer. The Dutch icon, who scored 95 goals in 150 games for United during the Sir Alex Ferguson era isn’t just a familiar face; he’s got some serious managerial chops too.
After steering PSV Eindhoven to Dutch Cup glory in 2023, Van Nistelrooy’s name is on everyone’s lips, with former Arsenal player Perry Groves telling talkSPORT: “He’s going to be the next manager, without a shadow of a doubt.”
With INEOS at the helm, he believes it’s a no-brainer to promote from within as Van Nistelrooy knows the squad and can hit the ground running, dodging the hassle of a drawn-out hunt for Ten Hag’s successor.