Carragher names when Man Utd will sack Ten Hag as Dutchman admits three big ‘mistakes’

Erik ten Hag will not survive the season with Manchester United, according to Jamie Carragher, who has named the month when he expects Sir Jim Ratcliffe to swing the axe, while the Dutchman has been forced into an awkward admission after their 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool.

Ten Hag signed a new one-year extension to his Manchester United contract over the summer despite both Ratcliffe speaking to a number of different managerial options and amid claims the Dutchman was facing the sack after a woefully poor season in the Premier League. That saw United finish in eighth place – the lowest they had ever finished in the competition’s history.

However, victory in the FA Cup final earned Ten Hag the second trophy of his era, marking him alongside Jose Mourinho as the club’s joint-most successful manager since the Sir Alex Ferguson era, and ultimately preserved his status in the hotseat.

That said, not everyone was convinced by Ratcliffe’s decision, with plenty suggesting the extension only delays the inevitable at Old Trafford and with United still facing the same tactical shortcomings that have been a lowlight of his reign.

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Having lost their second game of the season at Brighton last Saturday, worse was to come for United at home to Liverpool on Sunday as a brilliant Mo Salah picked them apart, assisting Luis Diaz for two first-half strikes, before adding a third himself to secure a 3-0 win and ensure Arne Slot became only the second Reds manager – and first since 1935 – to win their first match at Old Trafford.

United were their own worst enemies with two Casemiro blunders being punished to the full by the rampant Reds.

Ten Hag admits to three Man Utd mistakes in loss to Liverpool

First of all, the experienced Brazilian’s misplaced pass was intercepeted by the excellent Ryan Gravenberch, who played in Salah to cross for Diaz to head home, before Casemiro was then brushed off the ball by Diaz, and when the ball was eventually worked back to him, he emphatically swept home his second.

The third Liverpool goal was also entirely avoidable from a Manchester United point of view, leading to some very awkward questions for Ten Hag over his management and tactical approach.

“We made mistakes and they were very clinical in finishing, they did very well,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports after the game.

“All the three goals are mistakes from us – individual errors. Maybe about the last one, you can debate, ‘where is our double six?’ but all the others, Liverpool did brilliant. Arne took over, the turnover and the way they finished was so good.

“Don’t argue this [that the game was level apart from the goals]. It’s clear Liverpool deserved it. We have to be humble, take this and improve our game.”

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After hooking Casemiro at half-time, more question marks have been raised over the Dutchman’s decision to back the 32-year-old Brazilian midfielder, whom Carragher famously claimed last season was “finished” in the Premier League and “needed to get on the phone to his agent about a move to MLS or Saudi”.

Ten Hag, though, refuses to point the blame and insists the player will recover from a difficult afternoon.

“You know the game. He knows the game. He will go on, we will go on. He’s a great player. We will continue this season to improve the team and the players,” Ten Hag insisted.

“He improved, and showed so often, that he is a great character. We all have seen great moments from him, being decisive in the midfield. He will show it again, I am sure he will bounce back.”

Ten Hag sack: Carragher on when he expects Man Utd axe to fall

Speaking after the game, Carragher, though, does not think Ten Hag will see out the season at Old Trafford after reflecting on their chastening defeat to Liverpool.

And the Reds icon has named when he expects no-nonsense minority shareholder Ratcliffe to swing the axe if there is no improvement in their league position.

He told Sky Sports: “I don’t think anything is going to change in terms of the football [at Man Utd].

“I have seen this before at Liverpool. Go back before Klopp came in when there was talk of Brendan Rodgers losing his job after one season. They weren’t sure what to do, FSG [Liverpool’s ownership], and they kept him and Rodgers changed his staff.

“You expect something different, but the manager is the main man. Rodgers was gone in October. Ten Hag said in his interview ‘we will see where we are at the end of the season’.

“I would be surprised if he is still there at the end of the season.”

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Gary Neville, meanwhile, thinks a lack of control in the midfield has consistently let United and Ten Hag down.

“Gravenberch, [Alexis] Mac Allister and [Dominik] Sloboszlai and you think of Manchester United having Casemiro, [Bruno] Fernandes, [Christian] Eriksen, [Scott] McTominay, [Mason] Mount, now [Manuel] Ugarte, [Kobbie] Mainoo…but they’ve absolutely destroyed them that three for Liverpool.

“That shouldn’t be happening and I think that’s a real pressure point for Erik ten Hag. That this Liverpool three in midfield have outplayed, outfought [United] in the way that they’ve set up.

“He’s got to try and get more out of the players he’s got at his disposal, because they’re not bad players. On paper you may even not swap them but you look on the pitch and it’s [not the case].”