Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is at the centre of questions over his future just months after Ineos backed him with a new contract.
We are only just into October and Manchester United are already facing a potential dilemma.
Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur leaves Erik ten Hag under pressure once again.
The Dutchman kept hold of his job at the end of last season as Ineos chose to back him rather than sack him.
Ten Hag finished the season with an FA Cup final win but the season as a whole was pretty dreadful.
Just months after Ineos put their faith in Ten Hag, his future is a big topic of conversation once again.
Graham Potter on Dan Ashworth
Ten Hag faces an enormous week as United travel to face Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Two defeats in those games could be fatal for Ten Hag, especially heading into an international break.
Ineos will surely have potential replacements in mind just in case a change is needed and Graham Potter may be one of them.
Potter was on the Ineos radar in January and the former Chelsea boss was keen on the United job over the summer, before Ten Hag stayed put.
On Monday, Potter refused to confirm whether he held talks with United but did offer some comments about Dan Ashworth.
Potter and now-United sporting director Ashworth worked together at Brighton and Hove Albion, which adds some weight to ideas of a reunion.
Speaking on Sky Sports (30/09, 7:30pm), Potter noted that Ashworth is ‘very supportive’ to managers and will be trying to help Ten Hag as much as possible.
Potter believes that Ashworth will be desperate to create a great environment for Ten Hag to thrive but will challenge him when needed.
“I think Dan is probably part of a team there and I think he’ll want to support, he’ll want to help – that’s my experience with Dan,” said Potter.
“I don’t know anything about the context of Manchester United but I think, from my experience of Dan and working with him at Brighton, he was very supportive, he would challenge at the right time, but want to help and be there for you.
“I think football clubs have to create conditions for coaches to be successful as well and that’s what he will try to do as best as he can,” he added.
Ineos and Ashworth may face a big decision very soon
Ineos chose to keep Ten Hag but that decision is already being put to the test.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co have been looking to provide United with a strong organisational structure off the pitch and a big change from the Glazer days.
Backing Ten Hag was a bold call at the time but that may soon be called into real question.
Ineos may not want to give the image of chaos by sacking Ten Hag just months after handing him a new contract.
Yet if results and performances remain well short of where United need to be, allowing Ten Hag to continue just to save face would be far more damaging.
Ten Hag knows he needs results and performances soon and the coming week will be absolutely vital for his future as Ashworth and co face a testing period.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
