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Manchester United have decided to sack Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final against Manchester City on Saturday, May 25, according to The Guardian. The Red Devils will part ways with the Dutchman regardless of this weekend's result.
Ten Hag was appointed at Old Trafford in 2022 from Ajax. An excellent debut season saw his side lift the Carabao Cup and finish third in the league. However, Ten Hag has struggled to replicate that form this season.
The Red Devils have finished eighth in the league this term, eight points adrift of the top four. United suffered a decline in form towards the end of the campaign, dropping from sixth to eighth.
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Meanwhile, Chelsea, who spent the majority of the campaign at the middle of the table under Mauricio Pochettino, managed to finish above them in sixth.
As a result, Ten Hag has come under pressure at Old Trafford this season and there are question marks over his future. INEOS' minority stake acquisition earlier this year made matters worse for the Dutch boss. Multiple reports suggested that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been searching for another manager to build his project around.
The Guardian now reports that the British billionaire has decided to sack Ten Hag after the Cup final even if he beats Manchester City to secure Europa League football. Manchester United have identified a list of potential candidates as well, including Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Kieran McKenna, Graham Potter, and Thomas Frank.
"He knows what he’s doing" - Pundit explains why Manchester United should appoint Mauricio Pochettino
ESPN pundit Steven Nicol believes Mauricio Pochettino would be a great fit at Manchester United. He lavished praise on the Argentine, highlighting the job Pochettino had done at Tottenham Hotspur.
Pochettino was appointed by the Lilywhites in 2014. Apart from a fifth-placed finish in his debut season, Tottenham never finished outside the top four under the Argentine boss.
He came close to winning the league with them in the 2016-17 season, finishing second in the table seven points behind Chelsea while reaching the Champions League final in 2019.
Speaking about his successes at Tottenham, Nicol said (via TBR Football):
“I would have no problem with Pochettino getting the Manchester United job. Absolutely not. He took Spurs very close to a Premier League title. He got beaten in a Champions League final so he knows what he’s doing."
Hailing Pochettino for his ability to develop young players, he added:
“He’s brought young players along. Right now, the positives at United are about the young players they have so you’ve got a guy who’s got a past of bringing young players along and with the finances that United should have, then you go and top that up with some quality. So, I would have no problem with Pochettino being Manchester United manager.”
