"External noise" - Erik ten Hag says Manchester United chiefs 'should have told him' about his future
Erik ten Hag has suggested Manchester United's co-owners have kept him out of the loop regarding a decision over his future. The Dutchman is under pressure heading into the international break amid his side's disappointing start to the season.
The Red Devils drew 0-0 with Aston Villa on Sunday (October 6) and are now five games without a win. They sit 14th in the Premier League, and INEOS will discuss the manager's job during the break.
Ten Hag was asked about the situation after Manchester United's draw at Villa Park. He claimed to have good communication with club chiefs but isn't in the know about his future (via Manchester Evening News):
"I don’t have any idea that is different...because they should have told me. We communicate very open, very transparent."
Ten Hag was handed a new one-year contract extension in the summer, but speculation is growing that he's set to be sacked. He continued to shed light on his relationship with the ownership at Old Trafford:
"I speak continuously with them and just after the game I have to do my job, talk with the players, manage the players and answer questions from you. We always talk. Every week, I would say every day we talk, so I expect I will speak with them."
The Dutchman feels that the noise surrounding his future is coming from those outside the club. He accepts that his team are disappointed, given their poor recent run:
"I think you said it very good - external noise. Internal, we are disappointed, we know we have to do better, especially we need to score more, that is the moment in this area after this block of games where we are really short."
Ten Hag has been in charge of the Red Devils since July 2022, overseeing two trophy wins in two seasons. His side have struggled domestically and in Europe this season, with two wins from two games in the UEFA Europa League.
Manchester United have made the worst start to a season after seven PL games
Manchester United's poor form is evidenced by an alarming statistic that tells of the issues Ten Hag and his side are experiencing. They sit on eight points from seven league games, which is the worst start for the Red Devils in their Premier League history.
This breaks the previous record of nine points from eight games set by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019-20 and matched by Ten Hag last season. His troops have won two and lost three of their seven Premier League games.
Manchester United will have a break from their on-field struggles with players heading off for international duty. Ten Hag's future will likely be decided this coming week, and the next fixture on the horizon is Brentford's trip to Old Trafford (October 19).