Ten Hag sack at Man Utd inevitable as ‘dead man walking’ claim brutally issued by journalist before key match

Erik ten Hag is heading towards the sack at Manchester United as a reporter has suggested he is viewed as a ‘dead man walking’ at Old Trafford, with a crucial match to decide his future looming large.

After losing to Brighton and Liverpool in the build up to the international break, Man Utd sit 14th in the Premier League. It is still very early in the season, but Ten Hag’s men are already six points behind Manchester City and Liverpool, and pressure on the Dutchman is growing.

Fabrizio Romano insists that the Man Utd hierarchy still support Ten Hag, but it is unclear how long that will last for if the team continues to disappoint on the pitch.

It emerged on Friday that club chiefs Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth have told Ten Hag his side must start to dominate opposition teams if he is to keep his job.

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Many pundits and fans alike have complained that the Red Devils struggle to maintain possession and have to rely on brilliance from individuals such as Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo in order to win games.

Ten Hag has now been rocked by another damaging sack verdict. During an appearance on the Inside Track podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that the 54-year-old is seen as a ‘dead man walking’ by some at Man Utd.

‘Luck’ enabled Ten Hag to remain in charge over the summer, as Man Utd could not strike an agreement with a top replacement such as Thomas Tuchel, despite sounding out numerous potential replacements.

Ten Hag will be hoping that he will be given until at least Christmas to get Man Utd firing, with the five summer signings still settling in, but a series of poor results before then will likely see Ratcliffe swing the axe.

Ten Hag sack: Man Utd face crucial few months

Although, former Arsenal and Chelsea star William Gallas has predicted that Ten Hag could go if Man Utd lose their first match after the international break, a league trip to Southampton on Saturday September 14.

“Manchester United, from what I’ve seen, have very little chance of finishing in the top four this season. In all honesty I don’t think it will be long before Erik ten Hag is sacked,” Gallas said in a recent interview.

“How can they lose 3-0 at home to Liverpool? Their former players must be mad after what they saw during that game at Old Trafford. It’s simply not acceptable.

“If they lose to Southampton and he’s sacked, I won’t be surprised. They’ve made more new signings and now it’s his third season.

“Maybe Manchester United is too big a club for Erik ten Hag. The pressure is too much for him.”

As previously mentioned, Tuchel was one of the managers lined up to replace Ten Hag during the summer. But it has since emerged that Tuchel did not agree with senior Man Utd officials about the club’s proposed transfer policy.

Ten Hag will have been disappointed if he had been sacked soon after winning the FA Cup with Man Utd at the end of last season. He could not have any serious complains though after they fell to eighth in the league last term.

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