Next Man Utd boss shortlist down to three names as report claims Ten Hag sack is ‘just weeks away’

Erik ten Hag is reportedly just a few matches away from the Manchester United sack, amid claims Sir Jim Ratcliffe and sporting director Dan Ashworth have identified their favourite successor from a three-man managerial shortlist.

Ten Hag earned a surprise stay of execution over the summer – and a one-year contract extension to boot – after Manchester United stunned Manchester City, and most of the watching world, to win the FA Cup and save what had otherwise been a disaster of a season. And having overseen a campaign that had seen them humiliated in the Champions League and then follow that up with their worst-ever finish of eighth in the Premier League, it would have come as no surprise had the Dutchman fallen on his sword.

After kicking off the current campaign with an underwhelming 1-0 win over Fulham at Old Trafford, United suffered their first defeat of the campaign in the first away game – 2-1 at Brighton – while worse was to come as Liverpool comfortably beat them 3-0 at Anfield to continue Arne Slot’s dream start as Reds manager.

That loss has understandably heaped the pressure on Ten Hag, who many already feel is a dead man walking and whom former Sky Sports anchorman, Richard Keys, had made the club a laughing stock.

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Despite that, two members of United’s new managerial team, Ashworth and CEO Omar Berrada, had both released interviews insisting Ten Hag still had their support and that they were planning for the long-term with the Dutchman at the helm.

Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth offer Ten Hag backing

With United currently sat 14th in the Premier League table after matchday three, Berrada is quoted by ESPN as saying: “We’re very happy with that decision [to give Ten Hag a new contract].

“Erik has our full backing and we have worked very closely together in this transfer window.

“We’re going to continue working very closely with him to help him get the best results out of the team.

“Do we still believe in Erik? Absolutely. We think Erik is the right coach for us and we’re fully backing him.”

Ashworth also had plenty of positive things to say about Ten Hag, adding: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Erik for the last eight weeks.

“I see my job is to support him in every way I possibly can, and whether that’s operationally, whether that’s with recruitment, whether that’s with medical, whether that’s with psychology, whether that’s training ground flow.

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“It’s just to take as much of that off him to allow him to fully focus on the training pitch and the match tactical plan to deliver success for Manchester United.”

TEAMtalk understands that the interview with the pair was held prior to the loss to Liverpool, but only released under embargo a day after the 3-0 defeat, which may be a deliberate ploy or a tactical blunder, depending on which way you view the comments and the timing of their release.

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Despite that, it is understood that there is a very different viewpoint behind the scenes and that United’s early form this season has already raised alarm bells with Ratcliffe.

Over the summer, the British billionare made secret of his interest in alternative coaches, holding talks with both Mauricio Pochettino and, more pubicly, Thomas Tuchel, with the latter meeting with Ratcliffe twice to discuss ways to take United forwards.

In the end, it was decided that Ten Hag would be allowed the benefit of the doubt and see if he could turn the tide.

But after their tactics were badly exposed by first Brighton and then Liverpool, it’s claimed by the Daily Mail that Ten Hag remains in ‘danger’ and the sack may now only be ‘weeks away’.

And TEAMtalk understands that if results do not improve, Ratcliffe is fully prepared to act and take the club in another direction, with patience starting to wear thin at Old Trafford.

It’s also understood that the club have already drawn up a contigency plan if the axe were to fall, with United’s new assistant boss, Rudd van Nistelrooy, slotted to take the reigns in the immediate aftermath of his possible departure.

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Long-term, the Mail claims Ratcliffe’s No 1 choice would be Tuchel, pointing back to those summer talks between the pair.

However, there are reportedly other candidates in their thinking too, with Graham Potter – who has a close ally in Ashworth – and perhaps more surprisingly, Joachim Low, who managed Germany to World Cup success in 2014, also in the thinking.

As it stands, United are not likely to dismiss Ten Hag any time soon, but results and the club’s performance remain under close scrutiny and it comes as no surprise that the 54-year-old sits alongside Sean Dyche of Everton as the favourite to become the first Premier League boss to fall on his sword this summer.