Erik ten Hag dismissal by Manchester United debated following Jamie Carragher’s wild prediction.

THE BIG DEBATE: Jamie Carragher states that he would be “surprised” if Erik ten Hag remains at Manchester United for the remainder of the season following their loss to Liverpool. However, does our team concur?

Erik ten Hag and Manchester United are mired in the same old narrative, as the Dutchman’s future is the subject of open speculation just three games into the campaign, despite the fact that it is a new season.

We have returned to the same position as we were in much of 2023-24 following Sunday’s 3-0 loss at home to Liverpool, a team that is managed by their own Dutchman, Arne Slot, who has acclimatised to life at Anfield with great ease. Many individuals are sceptical of Ten Hag’s ability to succeed at Old Trafford.

Jamie Carragher, one of Ten Hag’s most ardent critics, expressed his astonishment that the player would remain at United for the remainder of the season following his stay of execution in the summer. However, does the Mirror Football team concur with this assessment? Their perspective is as follows:

Ben Husband
We have already returned to this location. Who could have anticipated this? Despite the passage of more than two seasons, United has yet to establish a distinct style under Ten Hag. This issue is further exacerbated by the success that Slot has achieved in the past two months.

Regrettably, the Old Trafford executives have found themselves in a precarious position after being compelled to support the manager after months of publicly refusing to do so. This indicates that any hasty decision will expose the disarray of the entire process.

That likely implies that Ten Hag will have at least a few months to stay afloat. He should anticipate a few unconvincing victories to this end. There is scarcely any time to implement a change due to the abundance of fixtures. The subsequent break in November may serve as the catalyst for a definitive decision. However, it is still a matter of when, not if, whether it is tomorrow, next week, or November.

David Anderson
Erik ten Hag should have been terminated by Manchester United at the conclusion of the previous season, but they failed to do so due to his success in the FA Cup and the subsequent extension of his contract. Currently, they are back at the beginning, and the fans, who were instrumental in his rescue, are swiftly losing faith.

After only three games, United is already six points behind the title pace, and it is difficult to envision them reducing the gap and gaining a foothold in the Premier League. However, United will not evaluate Ten Hag in that manner; his objective is to qualify for the Champions League following the abysmal league campaign of the previous season, during which they were in eighth place.

He has the opportunity to acclimatise to his new team, with the expectation that results will improve, provided that United does not lose a string of games that would leave them stranded in the bottom half of the table by Halloween.

This is all meaningless to me. Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, United have not achieved either of these measures of success: league titles and Champions Leagues. That is the ultimate objective they aspire to, and I do not believe that Ten Hag can guide them there.

David McDonnell
Erik ten Hag will remain at Manchester United for the time being; however, he must avoid experiencing numerous afternoons similar to Sunday in order to preserve his employment.

It would be difficult to believe that Ten Hag had been at United for two years and Arne Slot had been at Liverpool for only two months, given the ease with which Liverpool defeated United 3-0 at Old Trafford. The manner in which United played was indicative of Ten Hag’s recent arrival at the club, as there was no discernible style, structure, or pattern of play. Slot’s philosophy and identity have been incorporated into Liverpool’s style of play in a relatively brief period of time, whereas Ten Hag has yet to do the same in his two full seasons as United’s manager.

Ten Hag will cite the fact that United has a new coaching structure, new players, and a new administration, all of which require time to operate effectively. However, these excuses will become increasingly ineffective if he is unable to turn the season around after the international break.

The club’s hierarchy cannot have much confidence in Ten Hag, regardless of their public statements, as United shamelessly canvassed potential successors to him over the summer before ultimately deciding to stay with him.

That is why Ten Hag was unable to sustain the season’s slow start, which resulted in two losses in United’s first three games. This left the team in 14th place in the table and already playing catch-up in the pursuit of a top-four spot and a return to the Champions League.

Simply stated, Ten Hag has until the upcoming international break in early October to preserve his position. This seven-game stretch, which includes four Premier League games, two Europa League games, and one League Cup contest, will ultimately determine his future.

Despite the public backing of the club’s hierarchy, he is likely to lose his job if he is unable to alter United’s fortunes during that period of games. The leading candidates to replace him are former England head coach Gareth Southgate and ex-Tottenham and Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino.

In reality, the Dutchman should be actively seeking employment, as Sam Meade Carragher accurately asserts. Last year, I contended that the United hierarchy’s decision to retain Ten Hag at Old Trafford was a sign of approval for a season in which they ranked eighth, their lowest-ever Premier League finish. Please refrain from informing me that this is the manner in which a large or ambitious club conducts itself.

The fact that they retained him, essentially as a result of winning a one-off game at Wembley, implies that there was a lack of direction or conviction in their actions. The most apparent concern is Ten Hag’s lack of style, which is still evident in the initial games of the season.

Carragher was correct to emphasise this point to Gary Neville, as the notion that Ten Hag should remain due to the absence of a credible replacement is absurd.

Arsenal’s transformation and advancement are commendable. In 2019, they appointed Mikel Arteta, a man who had never coached a game. Look at where they are now with him. Please refrain from informing me that there are no exceptional administrators, or those who have the potential to become so. I am uncertain as to whether United has it, but you have sufficient information to locate them. Presently, they lack the appropriate individual in the dugout.

Tom Victor
Manchester United’s ownership didn’t visibly back Erik ten Hag just to dismiss him after three games, but whether he lasts the season is another matter.

It is difficult for him to contend that he has not received support in his endeavours as he begins his third season. During that period, United have allocated hundreds of millions of pounds, a significant portion of which has been allocated to Ten Hag’s personal objectives. In order for him to remain in his position, the team must achieve better results.

He has recruited numerous athletes acquainted with him from his time in the Netherlands, in addition to personnel from his homeland. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who possesses top-flight managerial experience and extant club connections, could serve as his replacement if Sir Jim Ratcliffe et al determine that Ten Hag’s tenure is complete.

The manager is expected to be granted additional time to determine whether his new recruits can resolve United’s issues, as the injury to Rasmus Hojlund is as significant as Manuel Ugarte’s tardiness. But if we are still discussing this matter by the time the next international break arrives, it may be a matter of when he departs rather than if.

Darren Lewis
Nobody, except Erik ten Hag, is convinced that he will survive the season. United have spent more than £200 million during the transfer window. They have replaced players in nearly every position and have extended his contract for an additional season, despite the fact that many anticipated his departure following the FA Cup Final victory.

However, the defensive weakness that is concealed by the scrappy victories over lesser clubs was exposed on Sunday. Ten Hag boasts about the trophies he has acquired. However, the Carabao Cup and an FA Cup victory are no longer sufficient to divert attention from the obvious deficiencies in midfield, central defence, and the front line, where United lacks a player of the calibre of a Haaland, Salah, or Watkins.

Good players experience a decline in their performance under Ten Hag, while underperforming or unproductive players who would not be eligible for the top three teams maintain their United positions. From this point forward, the situation will only deteriorate. Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are merely postponing the inevitable.

Chris McKenna
Of course there’s a risk that Erik ten Hag won’t see out the season but the same can be said for most managers. Manchester United conducted an extensive end-of-season evaluation that culminated in INEOS’s determination that he remained the most suitable candidate for the position.

After three games, what message does it convey if they alter their minds? That they have no confidence in their own actions. They lack the fortitude of their own convictions.

I do not concur with Carragher’s assertion that they desired to eliminate Ten Hag; they conducted their own investigation, and we will now determine whether or not it was the appropriate course of action. They will not be alarmed; however, they and Ten Hag are aware that the results must be enhanced. A goal that was disallowed due to an unfortunate infraction against Brighton could have resulted in a different outcome, and they currently have six points. However, we are aware that the Dutchman will not be employed based on ifs and buts; rather, it will be based on performances and points.

Ten Hag has been provided with a new guidance structure and a new spine by United. They are required to provide it until at least December. However, Southampton’s departure at 12.30 p.m. following an international break has the potential to be a misstep that will significantly degrade the atmosphere.

Mark Jones
At some point, it would be beneficial for someone to sit down with Erik ten Hag and discuss some of the absurdities that he generates. The manner in which he conducted himself following Sunday’s match indicated that he believed that the individual in the hairless cap on the sideline was Jurgen Klopp, rather than Liverpool’s newly appointed manager.

Arne Slot possesses a tactical strategy and an idea, and he does not require the assistance of specific individuals to execute his objectives. His third game in command was the Old Trafford massacre on Sunday.

Last summer, Manchester United postponed the inevitable by retaining Ten Hag, despite the fact that it was widely anticipated that he would depart if the club had lost the FA Cup final. We should at least wait until some of the new players are on the pitch, as he has acquired even more. However, this will all come to a sudden conclusion at some point, likely before the end of the calendar year.