Benni McCarthy explains why Manchester United have not sacked Erik ten Hag

Former United coach Benni McCarthy has explained why Manchester United have not sacked Erik ten Hag despite poor performances.

Manchester United are currently struggling in 14th place in the Premier League, and with recent poor performances, there are increasing calls for Erik ten Hag to be sacked.

Of their last six matches, United have only won two— a 7-0 thrashing of League One side Barnsley and a 3-0 victory over Southampton, which could have gone the other way if not for André Onana’s crucial penalty save.

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Draws against FC Twente and FC Porto, along with heavy 3-0 defeats to Liverpool and Tottenham at home, have raised serious doubts about Ten Hag’s ability to lead the club. A recent draw with Aston Villa has given him a brief reprieve, but pressure remains high.

When United’s executives met for a board meeting earlier this week, many thought that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his United shot-callers would choose to sack the Dutch boss, but reports have since surfaced explaining that he is likely to remain in charge.

Former United coach Benni McCarthy, who worked under Ten Hag up until the end of last season, has now provided an explanation as to why he is being kept, citing that there are not many other managers out there who are “better” than the Dutchman.

McCarthy, speaking to SuperSport, said: “I can imagine how hard it is for Erik because he’s probably one of the hardest-working managers I’ve come across. His attention to detail, that man sleeps at 4 am.

“And when you put that much work in, you expect things to go well, but that’s why I’m saying there’s something [that’s not right]. People always look for answers like replacing the coach – who are you replacing him with? Who else is better than what they have?

“You’re not going to get many managers unless Pep [Guardiola] decides to change from City. But other than that, I can’t really say there’s much better than Ten Hag.”

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