Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag given stay of execution for crucial Porto & Aston Villa clashes amid sack calls – but beleaguered Dutchman finds himself under ‘intense scrutiny’ after Tottenham humiliation

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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has been granted a stay of execution amid calls for him to be sacked, but he is under ‘intense scrutiny’.

Red Devils struggling for consistency
Questions being asked of manager
Has the support of his board for now
WHAT HAPPENED?
Pressure on the beleaguered former Ajax manager is building again following an inconsistent start to the 2024-25 campaign. United have failed to score in three of their last four Premier League games – with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham, which saw captain Bruno Fernandes sent off, leaving them 12th in the table.
- Getty Images Sport
  
  WHAT TEN HAG SAID
  Ten Hag – who has delivered Carabao Cup and FA Cup triumphs across his two years at Old Trafford – said on the back of the Spurs debacle when asked if he feared getting the chop: “No, I am not thinking about this. We all made this decision to stay together, as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer. Also we made the decision from a clear review what we have to improve as an organisation and how we want to construct a squad.
  
  “But we knew it will take some time because of how the [summer transfer] window went, some players late in like [Manuel] Ugarte. Also we have to make some improvement in organisation, we still have some injuries, we need some time. We are all on one page or in one boat together – the ownership, the leadership group, the staff and the players as well. I don’t have that concern.”
  - THE BIGGER PICTURE
    
    While Ten Hag considers everybody to be “on one page”, sporting director Dan Ashworth, chief executive Omar Berrada, technical director Jason Wilcox and club board director Sir Dave Brailsford were all in the stands to watch the dire display against Tottenham.
  - AFP
    
    DID YOU KNOW?
    
    The Telegraph reports that they remain supportive of Ten Hag for now, with no change in the dugout to be made ahead of crucial Europa League and Premier League fixtures against Porto and Aston Villa this week. Those games will carry United into the next international break. However, he is under “intense scrutiny”.
    
    WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?
    
    Ten Hag faces no immediate threat to his future, but a positive response to recent poor performances is being demanded. Questions of his future will continue for as long as United fail to bring the best out of an expensively-assembled squad.