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Manchester United’s slow start to the new season has once more left Erik ten Hag under huge pressure at Old Trafford.
The Dutchman survived the chop in the summer after unexpectedly winning the FA Cup against Manchester City and promised a fresh approach going into the new campaign.
However, United sit in 14th place in the Premier League having scored just five goals from their seven games and are winless in their two opening Europa League fixtures.
The poor start has seemingly left Ten Hag on the brink and, as reported by Football Insider, the 54-year-old was just one loss away from the sack.
Former Everton chief Keith Wyness spoke to the outlet and claims had United lost to Aston Villa last weekend, Ten Hag would have been relieved of his duties as first team coach.
However, a 0-0 draw was enough to grant the former Ajax boss another stay of execution at Old Trafford despite the uninspiring nature of the performance.
“Jim Radcliffe has held a meeting. They’ve tried to spin it that this was already in the diary. The rumors were pretty clear from a lot of the sources I’ve been speaking to that no, it was going to be a definite sacking if Ten Hag didn’t win against Villa,” said Wyness.
The meeting in question took place earlier in this week and was a pre-planned event as reported by multiple sources.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his consortium discussed many issues regarding the club which one would expect to have included the future of Ten Hag.
However, the feeling is that INEOS are desperate to stick by the man they felt best placed to lead the club through the season and it’s unlikely he will be removed from post in this international break.
Ratcliffe has regularly spoke on the need to support the manager and give him the tools to succeed in the role that has felt cursed since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson over a decade ago.
United are back in action on October 19 as Brentford visit Old Trafford and despite the apparat vote of confidence, Ten Hag will be acutely aware of the need for improvement in performance again Thomas Frank’s dangerous side.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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