Manchester United dressing room bugged in major security breach, with Erik ten Hag’s team talk recorded: Reports
Manchester United's dressing room was reportedly bugged in a major security breach when they faced Aston Villa in the Premier League at Villa Park on October 6. Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag's team talk and instructions were also recorded during the breach.
The news has come to light through a report from The Sun (via GiveMeSport), which has claimed that an unnamed prankster placed a recording device in the away dressing room. This is believed to have happened two days before the game, with the prankster successfully getting past security and gaining access to the unauthorized area.
They managed to place the device - reportedly a Chinese phone, in a hidden location. The report claims that the contents of the recording are clear instructions from Erik ten Hag to the Manchester United players.
The Sun's source also claimed that the prankster is a fan of the Red Devils while providing details to the story, saying:
"This is a shocking breach of security and some serious questions will be asked as to how this was allowed to happen. Fortunately, there was nothing sinister to this incident. It was just a prankster, who’s actually a United fan, being silly and wanting to hear what was said inside those four walls."
"But it will definitely be a cause for concern about how they managed to get inside a changing room at one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs just days before a match."
The Premier League clash at Villa Park ended in a 0-0 draw, with both sides sharing the points. The prankster is believed to have planted the device in the dressing room on Friday before collecting it on Monday.
The United manager has been criticized for his poor tactics by pundits and fans in recent weeks. This could be the reason for the prankster attempting to listen in on the chatter within the dressing room.
Erik ten Hag believes his job at Manchester United is safe, following Aston Villa goalless draw
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag believes his job is still safe, following their match against Aston Villa. The goalless draw has only compounded what has been a rather poor start to the season, with the Red Devils now 14th in the league table.
This has led to rumors about Erik ten Hag potentially getting sacked. However, the manager made it clear that nothing had changed, with the hierarchy at the club backing him. He said (via BBC):
"I don't have any idea that is different because they should have told me. We communicate - very open, very transparent. I would say every day we talk, so I expect I will speak with them."
This season, Manchester United have racked up a mere eight points in their first seven games. They have also scored just five goals in the same timeframe, just one more than newly-promoted Southampton.