Ten Hag told it’s ‘the end’ for him at Man Utd as ‘blindingly obvious’ replacement emerges

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler suspects Erik ten Hag will face the sack at Manchester United despite their 1-o victory over Luton Town over the weekend.

The Red Devils lost 4-3 to Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday night to leave their hopes of qualifying for the last-16 hanging by a thread.

But they bounced back from that defeat with a narrow win over Luton to make it back-to-back Premier League wins following their 3-0 loss to Man City at Old Trafford a fortnight ago.

Ten Hag is under pressure to improve results and performances with Man Utd putting in another underwhelming display against Luton despite picking up the points.

There have been rumours that Sir Jim Ratcliffe could decide to change manager and go in a different direction when his investment in the club gets ratified.

British billionaire Ratcliffe, who is looking to buy 25 per cent of Man Utd, will be given control of footballing matters as he looks to get the Red Devils competing at the top again.

READ MORE: Premier League’s worst finishers 23/24: Rasmus Hojlund second only to Marcus Rashford

Man Utd, who have the fourth highest Premier League net spend in 2023, have been guilty of multiple recruitment mistakes and Fowler thinks Ten Hag has to take “a lot of blame”.

Fowler wrote in his Daily Mirror column: “The recruitment has been woeful, and the fact is, Ten Hag has to take a lot of blame for that. They’ve gone for the experienced campaigners – just as they did with managers like Mourinho – and it didn’t work. Casemiro anyone?

“Can someone explain to me how you can pay £70m for a midfielder who was almost 31, when the selling club Real Madrid thought his legs had gone?

“‌Then they veer to the other route, and try to follow the likes of City and Liverpool by signing younger players… but without the quality. Antony at £89m is unfathomable, and there have been plenty more that don’t make sense.

‌”Ten Hag has clearly been involved in many of those deals, because the signings have direct links to his previous club Ajax. And yet, we’ve witnessed a full strength United side lose to Copenhagen in the Champions League. That simply shouldn’t happen.

“‌I honestly felt that was probably the final straw, and it doesn’t matter what happened against Luton on Saturday. I think that result, and the prospect of not qualifying for the Champions League knock out, could mean the end of him. I know there was a red card, but even so, defeat there even with 10 men is unthinkable. In the league they’ve been equally unconvincing, despite a few scrappy results lately.”

Speaking about potential replacements for Ten Hag if Man Utd sack the Dutchman, Fowler added: “They can’t run the risk of going down the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer route again, even though I think the likes of Michael Carrick and Keiron McKenna have some credentials and obvious Old Trafford connections. They’re just not ready yet though.

‌”At the same time, the type of candidate they need, a manager with a proven track record over a long period at the top level, is not going to walk away from a big job to join United. Pep Guardiola won’t and neither will Jurgen Klopp. Carlo Ancelotti fits the bill, but he is going to walk away from Madrid to join them? Is he hell.

“‌So it will have to be a younger manager with a good track record who can step up to the next level. I think Unai Emery has that, and he’s doing a decent job at Villa after winning several European trophies. But the blindingly obvious one is Roberto de Zerbi. Many thought it would all collapse this season at Brighton after they lost their two biggest players, and virtually his entire midfield. But if anything, he’s consolidated the club.”

MAILBOX: Time to change the narrative around Ten Hag. Manchester United are the Prem’s form team, FFS…