Erik Ten Hag’s best hope of keeping his job is if Man United get a good result against Liverpool on Sunday.
That is the view of former Aston Villa and Liverpool attacker Stan Collymore, who believes Ten Hag is on thin ice, and failure to beat his team’s bitter rivals on the weekend will result in the Dutchman being relieved of his duties ahead of next season.
Although there is a reported ‘widespread’ expectation that United have ‘already made their decision’ to part ways with Ten Hag in the summer, Collymore thinks the 54-year-old could survive the chop, but only with a win over Jurgen Klopp’s high-flying Reds.
Erik Ten Hag told how to keep Man United job
“If United do somehow beat their mortal enemies I fear that may be enough, along with some sort of European football, to keep Erik Ten Hag in his job next season,” he said in an exclusive interview.
“Should that prove to be the case, it would conversely mean that as Liverpool look for a new manager, their bitter rivals are still stuck with one with seemingly little idea how to shape the modern Manchester United.”
Failure to beat Liverpool will all but confirm United’s Champions League exile next season. Currently sitting sixth in the table and 11 points off fourth-placed Aston Villa, only eight wins from a remaining eight games would see United in with a chance of qualifying for Europe’s big time.
Unlikely to happen, Ten Hag may be prepared to accept Europa League qualification, or even Conference League qualification, and should he achieve one of those, along with a win against Liverpool, could, despite not being expected to, remain in his role for another season.
The Dutchman’s contract at Old Trafford is due to expire at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family have yet to make a final decision on Ten Hag’s future.