Matthijs de Ligt backs under-fire Erik ten Hag ahead of Aston Villa clash

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Matthijs de Light has sent a direct message to the Manchester United hierarchy after suggesting he doesn’t want a manager change.

The Netherlands centre-back reunited with Ten Hag at Old Trafford in the summer following a transfer from Bayern Munich.

In a new interview, De Ligt makes it clear that he is no stranger to experiencing a coaching change from his time at Juventus and Bayern Munich.

“To be fair, it’s quite funny because in my career, I’ve never had a trainer for longer than one and a half seasons,” De Ligt told Sky Sports.

“So this is something that I hope I can have now, that I have a trainer or a manager who stays longer with me as a player so you can grow more together also.”

De Ligt has played most of his football under Ten Hag than any other manager, making 78 appearances for Ajax and United. He also played under Thomas Tuchel and Massimiliano Allegri.

Ten Hag is currently under mounting pressure to keep his job after a poor start to the 2024/25 season. The Reds take on Aston Villa in a must-win clash at 2pm today.

The Dutchman has overseen just three wins in United’s opening 10 matches of the season.

A poor result against Villa could prove fatal if Ten Hag loses his job during the international break.

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