Man Utd line up two-man shortlist to replace Ten Hag as Dutchman 'on thin ice'
Manchester United are reportedly considering alternatives to Erik ten Hag after his side suffered back-to-back heavy defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle.
Ten Hag is under huge pressure after both sides came to Old Trafford and rolled over his team by a 3-0 scoreline. The Dutchman is experiencing the toughest spell of his United career, having lost eight of his 15 games this season – the first time the club have made such a poor start since the 1962/63 campaign.
United’s hierarchy have always been clear that Ten Hag has their backing in the long term and his stock was on the rise after he ended the club’s six-year wait for silverware by winning the Carabao Cup in his first season. But The Times reports that he is now considered to be on ‘thin ice’, with potential replacements being considered.
Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim and former Real Madrid Zinedine Zidane are the two names in the frame at the moment, according to the report. The change in tack has come due to the nature of the thrashings by City and Newcastle, which came within four days of each other.
Both Amorim and Zidane were considered by United as a replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who left in November 2021. Amorim, 38, has seen his stock rise at Sporting, while Zidane remains without a managerial role since leaving Real Madrid in 2021.
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Sacking Ten Hag would be complicated by the current situation regarding Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s efforts to buy a 25 percent stake and take sporting control of the club. Ratcliffe wants to bring in his own expertise at the top of the club, meaning chief executive Richard Arnold’s role could come under threat.
Ten Hag has been in place since May 2022 and was bullish when asked about his job security after his side were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle on Wednesday. "I understand when the results are not there it is logical they are questioning that," he said. “But I am confident I can do it. At this moment we are in a bad place and I take responsibility for it. But I am a fighter. I see it as a challenge.”
Zinedine Zidane has been linked with Manchester United before (Getty Images) HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Manchester United replace Erik ten Hag? Comment below.
He added: "It is below the standards everyone expects from Manchester United. It is not good enough by far and we have to put it right. I take responsibility for it. It is my team and they are not performing."
United travel to Craven Cottage to play Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday before facing FC Copenhagen in the Champions League in midweek. Those matches could determine his fate, with so many players currently vastly underperforming.
The Times claims that some players have questioned whether Ten Hag has the right attributes to get the team out of the current mess. Meanwhile, there are also question marks over the intensity of the training sessions, with so many players out injured.
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