Man Utd: Report delivers Ten Hag sack ‘update’ as Ratcliffe’s target is tipped to ‘turn things around’

Even if Manchester United ‘suffer a heavy defeat to Liverpool’, Erik ten Hag is reportedly ‘set to stay in charge’ until their takeover is finalised.

There is great uncertainty at Man Utd at the moment. Ten Hag is under increasing pressure and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s imminent takeover is still yet to be completed.

The British businessman is on the brink of purchasing a 25% stake in Man Utd for around £1.3bn and this deal will see him take control of footballing matters at Old Trafford.

One of Ratcliffe’s first jobs will be to decide whether to part company with Ten Hag, who has faced heavy criticism amid Man Utd’s miserable start to the 2023/24 campaign.

The Red Devils have exited the Champions League and Carabao Cup prematurely. They have not fared too much better in the Premier League as they sit sixth in the table ahead of Sunday’s trip to face Liverpool.

A report from Football Insider has now provided an ‘update’ on Ten Hag’s future, with it suggested that his ‘position at United is safe until Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent takeover of the club is completed’.

The report added: ‘Even if United were to suffer a heavy defeat on Sunday to Liverpool, where they lost 7-0 last season, the Dutchman is set to stay in charge.

‘Reports also claim that former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter, who has been without a job since being axed by the Blues in April, is high on Ratcliffe’s shortlist should he sack ten Hag.’

Potter is reportedly a “contender” to replace Ten Hag and Stan Collymore thinks the former Chelsea boss could “turn things around at Old Trafford”.

“Graham Potter would be a great coach for Manchester United, in my opinion. That club, however, needs a manager with a massive personality,” Collymore told Caught Offside.

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“Ten Hag hasn’t been that, David Moyes didn’t have it, Mourinho was but the job maybe came at the wrong time in his career and he wasn’t attack-minded enough for the Old Trafford faithful.

“Therefore, I don’t think Potter is a big enough manager to be able to turn things around at Old Trafford but he is still a very good coach.”

Regarding Ten Hag, Collymore added: “If Ten Hag wins this game on Sunday, he will stick around for the rest of the season. I don’t think they will make a change anyway, no matter what happens. They are a big enough club and an adult club that makes its big decisions with all the facts at the end of the campaign.

“However, in saying that, if this is an absolute hammering again of a 7-0, I think it will be very difficult for Ten Hag to get respect from the fans and both local media and national media for him to limp through the rest of the season. Getting hammered at Anfield is bad in any season but what has happened proceeding it during the current campaign makes it very difficult.”