Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag could reach the Champions League spots and still be sacked, according to Gary Neville
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag's future could well have already been decided by the club's new decision-makers, despite the Dutchman's side still in the hunt for Champions League football next term.
That's according to legendary Red Devil Gary Neville, who gave his opinion on the situation at Old Trafford during last night's Monday Night Football between West Ham United and Brentford. The Sky Sports pundit's former side lost 2-1 at the weekend to Fulham in yet another low point in a tough season – and with the Manchester Derby at the weekend, things could yet get worse.
Neville spoke passionately about Ten Hag's previous work at Ajax and style of play, noting that he is among many unable to decipher what the 54-year-old is trying to achieve at Manchester United. When asked by colleague Jamie Carragher whether the Red Devils have to act quickly to avoid the merry-go-round of managerial changes this summer, however, Neville replied that he believes a decision may have already been made.
Neville thinks Ten Hag could be sacked – regardless of how he ends the season (Image credit: Getty Images)
“I think that if you look at the guy who’s come in from Manchester City as CEO [Omar Berrada] and they’re looking to get Dan Ashworth in from Newcastle, they’re going to have made the decision quite quickly, if not already,“ Neville affirmed.
“I suspect that Jim Ratcliffe [and] Dave Brailsford already know if they’re going to keep Erik ten Hag as manager next season. I can’t believe they’re going to wait until May to make that decision and then find themselves short.”
Manchester United have been accused of incompetence behind the scenes for years – but now, Neville says that he doesn't think his former employers are going to let whether Ten Hag qualifies for the Champions League distract them from their opinion of whether the Dutchman is capable of taking the club forward.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe may have decided to sack Ten Hag already, says Neville (Image credit: Getty Images)
“Where Manchester United have been found out in the last 10 years is in recruitment: making poor decisions, making late decisions, not being ahead of the game,” former full-back Neville continued. “I don’t think they’re going to do that. For me, I suspect they’ve probably already come to a conclusion already.
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“It may be that whether [United reach the] Champions League or not, they stick with that decision.”
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
