"Will be sacked first" - Ex-Liverpool star delivers verdict on Ten Hag's Manchester United future
Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique has delivered a damning verdict on Erik ten Hag's future at Manchester United. The former Reds star believes the Dutchman will be sacked following his side's struggles in the Premier League this season.
A slow start to the 2023-24 Premier League season saw Manchester United drop below the top four in the table and put Erik ten Hag under immense pressure. An emphatic 3-0 victory over Everton at the weekend helped ease the tension but Enrique isn't impressed.
During a recent conversation with Grosvenor Sport, the Liverpool icon boldly said that he doesn't see the Red Devils achieving a top-four finish this season. The Spaniard added that finishing in the top four last season was down to luck before stating that Ten Hag is likely to be sacked by the club.
“Manchester United had a good game against Everton the other day, that is true. However, that is just one result and when you look at the team and how much money the club has spent since Erik ten Hag arrived, I still don’t see a team that can finish in the top four," Enrique said in quotes conveyed by Football365.
He added:
"They only got in the top four last year because other teams were poor, but now Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa are all there challenging for it. I don’t think United will finish in the top four this season and should that be the case, I think they will sack Ten Hag.
“When I look at all the other big-name managers in the league, Ten Hag still stands out to me as the one who will be sacked first."
Manchester United have won five of their least six league games and are sixth in the table, six points behind leaders Arsenal.
Erik teg Hag still has Manchester United's backing
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United haven't considered dismissing Erik ten Hag yet despite his struggles this season. However, it's only a matter of time before the club changes its stance if the situation doesn't change.
The Red Devils missed the opportunity to bolster their chances of qualifying for the Champions League knockout phase this week. They played out a 3-3 draw with Galatasaray and sit at the bottom of their group. They now need to beat Bayern Munich in their final group-stage game and pray that Galatasaray and Copenhagen play a draw in their meeting.
Ten Hag's men will next lock horns with Newcastle United at St. James' Park in the Premier League this weekend (Saturday, December 2). That'll be followed by another vital clash with Chelsea on Wednesday before they face Bournemouth next weekend, both at Old Trafford.