Manchester United’s next manager is already employed by the club.
That’s the view of former Premier League star Gabby Agbonlahor who was stunned by their ‘terrible’ performance against Liverpool.
Current Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag has been under pressure for almost a year now with the club lurching between shocking defeats and big wins.
This is something the Dutchman has been keen to point out while engulfed in criticism.
Manchester United could only manage an eighth place finish in the Premier League last term but they rocked Man City at Wembley in May, winning the FA Cup final 2-1 – a feat repeatedly wheeled out by the current manager.
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This earned them a Europa League spot just when it looked like one of the world’s biggest clubs would miss out on continental competition.
A summer inquest saw new owner INEOS – led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe – keep Ten Hag in charge, despite links with other managers.
Instead, club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake were brought in as his new assistants.
The 54-year-old was also backed in the transfer market with Leny Yoro, Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, and Manuel Ugarte, all joining.
However, performances this season have been less than impressive,
A dodgy display against Fulham was salvaged by a late Zirkzee winner, before defeats to Brighton and rivals Liverpool.
And having seen their form, Agbonlahor reckons Ten Hag’s time is running out with potential replacement, Van Nistelrooy, already sitting at his side.
“I don’t think he’s got it in him, to be honest I just look at him and I just see a manager who hasn’t got that presence on the touchline.” he told talkSPORT.
“I hear him after the last game when he’s having to go with one of the reporters about, ‘I’ve won the most trophies apart from Pep Guardiola and I’ve won FA Cup and Carabao Cup’ and I’m just like
‘yeah, maybe, but you finished eighth – what are you talking about?’
“Manchester United finishing eighth position in the league, lowest ever, exactly. You were terrible against Liverpool.
“Why are you playing [Marcus] Rashford still when he should be on the bench. Then [Alejandro] Garnacho can go over to the left then you can play Amad on the right.
“He started with Garnacho on the right when his best football’s on the left. Rashford on the left when he’s struggling with confidence.
“There was one moment where Rashford was one-on-one with Konate and he literally turned back and passed it and the Manchester United crowd were all shocked.
“Rashford two years ago would have ran past Konate and took him on. As an attacker, you’re dying for that one-on-one chance. He turned around confidence shattered and you’re keeping him on.
“The players didn’t look like they were like up for the game either. So I think he’s got a lot of problems, Ten Hag.
“I reckon that ownership are probably thinking, ‘Thank God we’ve got Van Nistelrooy there’, because I think Van Nistelrooy will come through and take the job – 100 per cent.”
Asked whether it would be sooner rather than later, he added: “[Sooner], 100 per cent because if you’re part of the Manchester United ownership you’re probably saying, ‘You know what, we tried to search for every manager possible to take his job in the summer but we couldn’t. We’ve kept him on but if this continues are we going to be seventh or eighth again?’
“Other teams are getting better. Brighton have got better this season. West Ham have got better this season. Newcastle have got better this season. Spurs and Aston Villa will still be up there.
“So top four is a million miles away for that team all right.”
And the current predicament is one owners INEOS have brought on themselves, says Nicky Butt, who played alongside Van Nistelrooy at Old Trafford.
He told talkSPORT: “I think it was forced upon him that, if I’m honest with you, because he’s quite openly admitted that they were looking for a new manager. It was common noise. They’d been looking over Europe over the summer and towards the end of last season.
“But I think if they haven’t found the right one to come in, why replace someone they don’t really want for someone they don’t really want?
“You have to go and pick one or two favourites coming to the job. If they’re going to go and bring someone in who’s fourth and fifth choice, he may as well stay with Erik ten Hag and let him hopefully get us at least a bit of stability in the Premier League.
“So I agree why they’ve done that. But it’s obviously because they didn’t find the one that they wanted.”
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News Summary:
- Ex-Premier League star convinced Erik ten Hag’s successor already works at Manchester United
- Check all news and articles from the latest Football updates.