Erik ten Hag is at risk of being sacked as Manchester United boss after a poor start to the season.
Three wins from the opening eight games is simply not good enough for Manchester United, and Erik ten Hag could soon pay the price.
For many, the awful 3-0 defeat against Tottenham on Sunday was the final straw, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s stance on sacking Ten Hag has not changed.
However, the Dutchman’s future will hinge on upcoming trips to Porto and Aston Villa this week. If the poor results continue, he will be given his marching orders.
There is already plenty of speculation over who could replace Ten Hag as United boss, with assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy tipped to be a short-term successor if Ineos do pull the trigger.
However, United legend Patrice Evra is still confident that Ten Hag can turn things around.
Patrice Evra’s stance on Erik ten Hag
It would be frustrating to see Ten Hag go after there were signs of progress towards a style of play earlier this season.
But ultimately, he is not getting the best out of the side and the performance against Tottenham was one of the worst under his management.
Patience is certainly running thin among the United fanbase which has stuck loyally behind Ten Hag, but Evra is still backing the Dutchman.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Evra said: “It’s tough. It’s tough. I think people keep talking about Ten Hag being sacked but it feels like he has the support from Ineos.
“We are going to have two tough games against Porto away and Aston Villa, and we are going to keep saying if he loses those two games he will be sacked.
“But from experience, every time he has that game where we say he is going to get sacked, he wins them. So I’m not worried.”
Erik ten Hag has been here before
Evra is right, this would not be the first time Ten Hag has stared down the barrel of being sacked and survived.
Before United’s FA Cup final last season, multiple reports surfaced suggesting Ten Hag was on the brink of being sacked. However, the Red Devils rallied behind the Dutchman and beat Manchester City at Wembley.
READ MORE: How much it will cost Man United to sack Erik ten Hag, it reflects poorly on Ineos
It was a performance that saved his job. The majority of players still back Ten Hag, and there is still a chance he could survive but wins against Porto and Villa are crucial.
But there are only so many times Ten Hag can survive by the skin of his teeth before Ineos will decide to sack him anyway for not progressing the side.
Ultimately, even if Ten Hag does survive against Porto and Villa, he will still be under huge pressure for the games that follow.
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