Ten Hag sack: Ex-Liverpool man tips Man Utd boss to go as he makes Newcastle clash prediction
Former Liverpool defender Jose Enrique reckons Manchester United will sack Erik ten Hag as they won’t finish in the top four this season.
The Red Devils’ 3-2 defeat at home to Galatasaray at the beginning of October marked their worst start to a new season since 1986 and put huge pressure on Ten Hag for the first time in his tenure.
Man Utd have since bounced back in the Premier League with five wins from their last six matches to put them in sixth place and six points behind leaders Arsenal.
However, in that time they have also crashed out of the Carabao Cup to Newcastle and only taken one point from two crucial Champions League fixtures.
And former Liverpool and Newcastle left-back Enrique reckons Ten Hag will lose his job before the end of the season as the other teams near the top are better this term.
Enrique told Grosvenor Sport: “Manchester United had a good game against Everton the other day, that is true. However, that is just one result and when you look at the team and how much money the club has spent since Erik ten Hag arrived, I still don’t see a team that can finish in the top four.
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“They only got in the top four last year because other teams were poor, but now Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa are all there challenging for it. I don’t think United will finish in the top four this season and should that be the case, I think they will sack Ten Hag.
“When I look at all the other big-name managers in the league, Ten Hag still stands out to me as the one who will be sacked first.”
Man Utd – who have the fourth highest net spend in the Premier League in 2023 – face Enrique’s former club, Newcastle, on Saturday evening and the Spaniard is predicting the Magpies to put more pressure on Ten Hag.
Enrique added: “I think Newcastle will beat Manchester United on Saturday. What could work in United’s favour is that Newcastle are struggling to maintain their intensity whilst playing midweek as well, but the game is at St James’ Park, which is always a huge boost and the atmosphere alone will make it very tough for United.
“I also believe that Newcastle will finish above United at the end of the season,” he said. “It’s tough to be certain in saying that because United are the bigger club overall – it will be a lot more dramatic if they miss out on the top four compared to if Newcastle missed out simply because of the size of Manchester United.
“United are a club that need to finish in the top four because they need to be competing in the Champions League for ten Hag to continue. I don’t think Eddie Howe is in the same situation at Newcastle.”
