Erik ten Hag pleads Manchester United fans for patience as sack now “expected”

Erik ten Hag has asked for fans’ patience following Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Burnley at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

After staging a fantastic 4-2 comeback against Sheffield United midweek, Manchester United fans were brimming with optimism as they welcomed Burnley to Old Trafford in the Premier League.

Both teams made several promising chances in the game, yet neither could find the net in the opening 80 minutes. It was only in the latter stages that Antony capitalised on a loose pass to give United the lead.

Read More: Erik ten Hag provides bizarre Man United comment after Burnley draw, fans are perplexed

However, a defensive blunder between Casemiro and André Onana handed Burnley a penalty just five minutes after United’s breakthrough. Zeki Amdouni made no mistake from the spot, ensuring the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

The result has once again angered United fans at a time when many are calling for the manager to be relieved of his duties this summer, but Ten Hag has called for fans to be patient surrounding building a team for the future.

“We have some very young players and that’s why we build this club back. That takes time,” he said following the Burnley result. “We bring in young players, Garnacho, Højlund, Mainoo; they are all in the first season in the Premier League. and it’s getting more intense year by year. It’s more intense than last season.

“Those players have to adjust, and that takes time. I’m very impatient, but we need patience, and fans need patience; we’re building a team here, and we need the experience.

“When you get fatigued, you need to keep the focus until the end. This season was the extra effect with the extra time, seven, eight, nine, 10 more minutes in a game to keep the tempo in our game. That is a limit they have to cross, and they only get it by experiences.”

Ten Hag has also compared his team to those of the past, explaining that even the great sides that Sir Alex Ferguson built during the early 2000s required time to assemble before they became victorious.

“It’s way off the mark,” he said, hitting back at critics. “The great Manchester United teams were also built, 2004, 2005, they didn’t play that great football, they were building, it takes time,” he said.

“What everyone forgets, even the players in that team, they were struggling and they needed time to progress.”

Ten Hag sack “expected”

According to StanardSport, the current expectation is that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will sack Erik ten Hag this summer.

The report further explains that now technical director Jason Wilcox is “reviewing” the Dutch manager’s position at the club as they look to bring in sporting director Dan Ashworth early from his gardening leave following talks with Newcastle.

Ten Hag has been linked with Ajax in the last few weeks. The Dutchman is reportedly on a three-man shortlist of candidates that the club is considering.

The other two names consist of  Graham Potter and OGC Nice coach Francesco Farioli.