Manchester United's performance in their FA Cup win over Coventry City will cost Erik ten Hag his job, the Dutchman is told
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been told the Red Devils' collapse against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-finals on Sunday will cost him his job at Old Trafford.
United were 3-0 up and cruising, but conceded three times in the last 20 minutes and almost lost the match late in extra time, when Coventry saw an effort ruled out by VAR in an extremely marginal offside call.
Ten Hag's side went on to win on penalties, after Marcus Rashford saw the first spot-kick of the shootout saved, and earned a place in the FA Cup final against Manchester City in an epic finale which saw them flirt with disaster at Wembley.
Jamie Carragher broadcasts ahead of a Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford in August 2022. (Image credit: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Ten Hag admitted after the game that United had "got away with it", but former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher believes it will not be enough for him to keep his job at Old Trafford beyond this summer.
Alluding to how Coventry manager Mark Robins famously saved Sir Alex Ferguson's job at United with a goal in the FA Cup back in 1990, Carragher told Sky Sports: "We were watching at the end there and Mark Robins famously kept a Man United manager in a job, I think that result today has just cost a Man United manager his job. I don't see how he stays, I don't.
"It's just performance after performance and that is just like... I would imagine that dressing room is probably the most embarrassed dressing room you could probably remember of a team who has won a big game.
"Can you imagine that dressing room when you go in they're all sat there looking each other, they don't know whether to celebrate, is it a big thing that you're in a cup final and got through? They're probably all just sat there looking at each other."
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Manchester United legend Roy Keane also criticised his former team as he told ITV Sport: "They play in moments, they always give you chances. We've seen it already in the FA Cup this season with the games against Wigan and Newport County. [Harry] Maguire said he saw character but I don't see character.
"I'm almost getting to the point where I don't like them. I'm seeing bad habits. The goalkeeper is wasting time at 2-0 up, get on with the game and go and flex your muscles. They'll be celebrating getting to a cup final tonight but all this does is put more pressure on the manager."
Ben Hayward is the Weekend Editor of FourFourTwo. A European football writer and Tottenham Hotspur fan with over 15 years’ experience, he has covered games all over the world - including three World Cups, several Champions League finals, Euros, Copa America - and has spent much of that time in Spain. Ben speaks English and Spanish, currently dividing his time between Barcelona and London, covering all the big talking points of the weekend on FFT: he’s also written several list features and interviewed Guglielmo Vicario for the magazine.
