Gary Neville worries that Erik ten Hag’s future will be determined by Manchester United’s forthcoming double header against Liverpool at Old Trafford.
The Dutchman is fighting to hang onto his position and win over Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United’s new minority stakeholder.
At Old Trafford, some behind-the-scenes appointments and adjustments have already been made, but the manager’s future is still up in the air.
United currently have a difficult path to the Champions League after last week’s loss to Manchester City, but Neville was more worried about Ten Hag’s football philosophy than the end outcome.
He told The Overlap: ‘I’m absolutely bemused and bewildered as to how we can’t play football under Ten Hag. I can’t believe it because obviously we’ve seen the football he’s played at his previous club.
He actually resorted last week at City to what Ole did at Tottenham when he just sat back and played 5-3-2. He just went right I’m just going to get a result by any means. How have we damaged Ten Hag? Why can’t he get a tune?’
Between now and the end of the season, United will play their bitterest rivals Liverpool twice, including an FA Cup quarterfinal at Old Trafford. Neville thinks that Ten Hag’s destiny will be decided by the result of both games.
He added: ‘I think for me for Ten Hag when you say what is critical, we’ve got Liverpool at home twice in the space of three weeks. I think those games can either be your friend or your massive enemy.
‘Losing away at Liverpool is bad when you’ve only got a few thousand United fans in the corner. If you’re at home in front of 73,000 United fans against Liverpool twice.
It looks like things are about to get more difficult for ten Hag who has failed to stamp his authority and playing style in the team.
Not only that, he has failed to inspire the team to grind out wins, at times his in-game management has been below par, and all those shortcomings have cost United a lot of points this season.
With a new manager being linked with United every other day in the media, it feels like the new hierarchy of the club have a made up their mind about the Dutchman.
