Manchester United WILL sack Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final, predicts club legend

Rio Ferdinand believes that, regardless of the result, Manchester United will part ways with Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final.

Ten Hag’s second season as Manchester United manager has been one to forget. The club finished eighth in the Premier League, their lowest position since the breakaway from the old first division.

Due to this, pressure has increased on the Dutchman as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are reportedly looking at potential candidates for the head coach role, including Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi.

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Both Tuchel and De are leaving their respective clubs, Bayern Munich and Brighton & Hove Albion, in the summer, and many think Ten Hag will do the same.

The former Ajax man is heading into the final year of his contract at the Theatre of Dreams,, and ex-United captain Rio Ferdinand, 45, believes that INEOS has decided who they want in charge.

“The more and more I think about it, win or lose, I don’t think Ten Hag will be there come next season,” Ferdinand stated on his podcast FIVE.

“I’m not saying that’s what I want, I’m just saying what I believe is going to happen, and I believe that the club are going to look elsewhere, I think.

I don’t think [winning the FA Cup] changes anything in the eyes of INEOS. I’ve not spoken to anyone there, this is just an assumption, this is what I think.

“Put injuries aside, the performances of the team have been so bad,” the former defender continued. “Most teams have had injuries, maybe not to the same extent as Man United.

“I keep saying this, I sound like a broken record: performance level can drop but your style of football should be there to identify. It’s not. I don’t know what we are. I don’t know who we are. Who are we as a team? What are we?”

If Ferdinand’s prediction is correct, Ten Hag will face the same fate as his compatriot Louis van Gaal, who was dismissed shortly after winning the FA Cup in 2016 with United.

In a similar issue with play style Van Gaal took the nickname theatre of dreams too literally as the football could send many fans to sleep, in contrast, the current man at the helm has branded his side as “one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams in the league”.

However, this entertainment seems to be coupled with chaos, as Ferdinand alluded to, as United are a mixed bag and lack consistency in their performances.

If Ten Hag’s last outing is the FA Cup final against Manchester City, his tenure will probably be looked back upon as what could have been.