Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has dropped a clear-cut verdict on Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe after Erik ten Hag was sacked as Manchester United manager.
Erik ten Hag’s reign at Old Trafford came to an end on Monday after the Red Devils suffered a 2-1 defeat to West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester United have only managed three wins in nine Premier League matches this season under Ten Hag, who inked a contract extension in the summer.
The Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League table and United are only seven points above the relegation zone after their disastrous start to the season.
Ten Hag was appointed United manager in 2022 after he left Ajax and led the club to third place in the Premier League and lifted the Carabao Cup in his first season.
The 54-year-old Dutchman then led the Red Devils to eighth place in the table last season, but United ended the campaign on a high note with the FA Cup trophy.
Richards on Ratcliffe and Ten Hag at Man Utd
Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed interim manager of Manchester United after Erik ten Hag was sacked from the Premier League club on Monday.
The 48-year-old legendary former United striker returned to Old Trafford in the summer as an assistant manager under Ten Hag for the current campaign.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who became United co-owner in 2023, has seen his Ineos team take control of the Red Devils after his minority stake purchase of the club.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Micah Richards claimed the writing was on the wall for Ten Hag and felt it was inevitable that he would be sacked.
The 36-year-old former Manchester City defender added that Ratcliffe made the right call and United now have the “right pieces in play” under Ineos.
“You have to give them time,” Richards said.
“They have got some good people in the backroom staff. I think all the noises coming out of Man United are not good, leaks to the press and all of that sort of thing.
“They had the meeting the other week with Ten Hag. It looked like he was going to be sacked, it didn’t happen and then it happens today. I think they have the right pieces in play.”
Gary Neville’s reaction to Ten Hag sacking
Gary Neville admitted that Ten Hag’s dismissal from the club was “coming” and he has been ‘shocked’ by how bad United have been with their new summer signings.
“I thought it was coming,” he said on Sky Sports.
“Looking at that game against Tottenham [3-0 home defeat] it looked like the kind of game I have seen before.
“It was a bad day for Manchester United and a bad one for Erik ten Hag. It’s got worse and yesterday, missing chances was unacceptable.
“The challenges of the result and performance is the owners have decided to sack Ten Hag.
“There will be those who say they have been proved right, but there’s millions of Manchester United fans who wanted to continue under Ten Hag.
“The big shock for me is how bad they have been with the new signings. That they are in 14th is unacceptable.
“I was hoping it would end differently, and that the faith shown would pay off, but it was not to be the case.”
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