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Manchester United make Erik ten Hag sack 'decision' ahead of Arsenal clash

Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, looks on
Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, looks on -Credit:2024 Getty Images


Erik ten Hag is set to be in charge of Manchester United for Sunday's match against Arsenal, despite mounting pressure on his position at the club. The Dutchman experienced a dreadful evening on Monday after his side suffered a 4-0 loss at Crystal Palace, representing a 13th Premier League defeat of the season - a record-high for United in the modern era.

Ten Hag's future at Old Trafford has been in doubt for some time now, and there is unrest among supporters who have lost faith in the former Ajax coach's ability to bring back the glory days. Ex-United forward Michael Owen argued after Monday's humiliation at Palace that Ten Hag should be sacked right away, insisting assistant manager Steve McClaren would do a better job.

But The Telegraph have claimed the Red Devils have no plans to sack their boss before their FA Cup final with Manchester City on May 25, ensuring Ten Hag is expected to remain at the helm for the visit of Arsenal this weekend. The above report adds that a "final decision" on his future will not be made until the 2023/24 campaign is over, even though several first-team players believe his fate is "effectively sealed".

Speaking on Premier League productions after United's 4-0 humbling, Owen said: “At some point you’ve got to make a decision, they’re going to get absolutely hammered by Manchester City [in the FA Cup final], they’re going to get annihilated, in fact, Arsenal will smash them to bits at Old Trafford, Newcastle will probably beat them, and I wouldn’t even fancy them going to Brighton either. They might not get anything out of the rest of the season, playing like that.

“I just wonder there’s just so much at stake, even if it’s only for four games, I wonder whether the board might just have to try to do something here and now and be quite radical about it.

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"He cannot, simply cannot, manage this team next season. He’s not good enough. I’ve thought it for ages, and he’s just not good enough to manage Manchester United.”

On the influence of Ten Hag's right-hand man, McClaren, Owen added “There is no way his fingerprints are anywhere near that team. He is a brilliant coach and that team is not being coached at all.”