Erik ten Hag told Manchester United future could rest on two matches amid Christmas sack claim

Alan Shearer has claimed only “massive improvement” from Manchester United will prevent Erik ten Hag from losing his job.

United sit 14th in the table after defeats to Brighton and Liverpool, having needed an 87th-minute winner from Joshua Zirkzee to edge past Fulham in their opening match.

Ten Hag initially looked set to lose his job in the summer, after the club finished eighth in the Premier League last season. Victory in the FA Cup final helped his cause, though, and despite United holding talks with several managers over the summer, it was ultimately decided to keep Ten Hag and extend his contract.

However, a 3-0 defeat to Liverpool before the international break has piled the pressure right back on the Dutchman, as was the case for much of the last term, and Alan Shearer has suggested trips to face Crystal Palace and Southampton are near enough must-win for Ten Hag and United.

“Man United’s results will have to improve massively for Ten Hag to still be at the club at Christmas,” Shearer told Betfair.

“A lot will depend on their next two results. After the defeat to Brighton and the manner of defeat to Liverpool, if the team doesn't see a massive improvement in the next game or two then it will be really, really difficult for him because the noise will only get louder.”

Shearer was critical of Marcus Rashford’s performance in United’s defeat against Brighton, comments that Ten Hag labelled “stupid” as he backed the 26-year-old.

Rashford scored only seven Premier League goals last season and is yet to get off the mark in the new campaign, with Shearer believing the forward has made a mistake in not pushing for a move away from Old Trafford.

“In his current form, I don’t see Marcus Rashford reviving his England career,” he said.

“I personally don’t know his mentality, or what his approach is in terms of training, but there's only one way back, which is to train and have the right attitude.

“But looking from the outside, for me, he should have left Man United to reignite his career because he's gone very static for whatever reason, and it hasn't worked for him for a while now.”