Erik ten Hag, the manager at Manchester United, is expected to retain his position for the club’s upcoming games against Porto and Aston Villa, despite Sunday’s crushing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham. The loss left United in the 12th spot in the Premier League, with seven points and a goal difference of -3 accrued from six matches. Remarkably, it was their second home defeat in a row, following an earlier 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.
The back-to-back losses have increased scrutiny over Ten Hag’s role at the club. However, sources within the club have been clear that they anticipate him to be at the helm for at least the next two matches. The overall sentiment within the club’s executive is calm, though they realise the significant pressure that Ten Hag is under to improve the team’s performance. It has been suggested that one or both of the forthcoming games may result in his dismissal, particularly if the defeats are notably profound.
The Spurs loss was concerning for United, largely due to the lack of organisation and resilience in the team’s midfield and backline, which resulted in two goals scored by Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski. The same issues came into play in United’s recent 1-1 draw against Twente in the Europa League.
Post the Liverpool defeat, there has been increased critique of Ten Hag’s game strategy and what it means for his continued tenure at the club. Ten Hag, who recently signed a contract extension with United until 2026, was unperturbed by questions from the press regarding his job security post the Tottenham match. He emphasised that a collective decision was made during the summer to reshape the team, and he acknowledged the challenges with bringing in new players such as Manuel Ugarte.
“We need to undertake some enhancements in our overall structure as we still have some players recuperating from injuries and require a bit more time. We’re all in this together – the owners, staff, and players. I don’t harbour any worries.” – Guardian