Liverpool icon Jamie Carragher has hit out the Manchester United owners for how they have treated under-fire Erik ten Hag as they meet for talks over the Dutch manager on Tuesday.
The Red Devils have endured their worst ever start to a Premier League season after seven games, with just five goals scored and two wins to kick off a hugely important campaign for Ten Hag.
There were plenty of question marks hovering around the manager over the summer, not least after Sir Jim Ratcliffe met with Thomas Tuchel over the position, only to be rebuffed.
The board instead offered Ten Hag a new contract at Old Trafford, though those questions have begun to return given the poor start to the season he has had.
Despite his connections to United’s arch nemesis Liverpool, Carragher has been quick to take aim at the united hierarchy for their treatment of Ten Hag, claiming and given his prediction on when he feels the manager will be sacked.
Jamie Carragher has slammed the Manchester United hierarchy for their treatment of Erik ten Hag
Ten Hag kept his job in the summer but is now under huge pressure again after United’s woeful start to the season
Sir Jim Ratcliffe (right) was seen arriving for a meeting with Man United’s chiefs on Tuesday
‘Probably find it tough to come out to the next international break,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘Maybe he still is the manager. Listen, if the results turn, of course he will.
‘But with Man United, it’s not just about results actually. For a long time, it’s actually been about performances. A lot of the time, when they get results, it feels a bit fortunate in some ways.
‘I think last season, it felt that Scott McTominay got so many last minute goals for them. You know sooner or later, if the performances don’t improve, they can’t get sustained results.
‘They might get a result here and there, that’s football. That’s why we love the game, unexpected things can happen. The start of this season hasn’t been too different in terms of performances and actually seeing the same things that we’ve seen last season.
‘I think it will be tough for him. I have sympathy for him because I think he’s been left to hang out to dry a little bit on the back of what happened in the summer with the ownership speaking to other managers.
‘So I feel for him. No manager or anyone in employment would want his bosses publicly speaking to lots of different people within the game. But it’s going to be tough for him to see out the season.’
The United hierarchy met in Knightsbridge earlier on Tuesday, with Ratcliffe joined by Sir Dave Brailsford and Dan Ashworth at his London offices.
Minority owner Ratcliffe watched United’s goalless draw with Aston Villa on Sunday along with director Brailsford, chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
Discussions over Ten Hag’s future continued into Monday and it will be on the agenda again when co-chairman Joel Glazer, chief operating officer Collette Roche and chief financial officer Roger Bell join them for the executive committee meeting on Tuesday.
Ratcliffe and United’s hierachy were in attendance for the stalemate draw against Aston Villa
Sir Dave Brailsford (right) was among those who were spotted by ITV News arriving on Tuesday
United are wary of fuelling speculation over Ten Hag’s future after Thomas Tuchel and Simone Inzaghi were linked with the job if he is sacked after just over two years in charge at Old Trafford.
Ratcliffe is known to be an admirer of Tuchel and met the German coach in Monaco during the summer when Ten Hag’s future was in doubt before the FA Cup final.
Tuchel is still available but it’s unclear if the obstacles that prevented him from replacing Ten Hag then can be overcome now.
Money was said to be one of them. It’s understood there has been no new contact between United and his representatives at this stage.
