Manchester United have changed their stance on Erik ten Hag amid pressure as two alternatives revealed

Manchester United have changed their stance on Erik ten Hag amid pressure following back-to-back 3-0 defeats.

That’s according to Jamie Jackson of the Guardian as he reports that whilst the manager is set to continue in the hot seat for the upcoming Premier League clash against Fulham, he must ignite an upturn in results to keep his job.

Ten Hag has suffered during his second season in charge of United. He has five losses in the Premier League already, sits third in the Champions League group and has now been knocked out of the Carabao Cup.

Difficulties have arisen off the pitch, in terms of disagreements and injuries, but also on the pitch as performances have matched the results. Poor.

Whilst recent reports have stated that United are fully backing Ten Hag and that he would continue under the new guidance of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, these developments suggest that cracks are beginning to appear.

The aforementioned report added that although there is no desire among the executive to replace Ten Hag, there is an acceptance after eight defeats in the first 15 games of the season that he needs to turn around this run of form, starting at Craven Cottage.

Following this, The Times added to the story with reports that a senior source has said that back-to-back 3-0 losses against City and Newcastle had left Ten Hag at risk of the sack. They added that certain players do not believe the Dutchman can lead them back to winning ways.

The report also mentioned that Sporting Lisbon manager Rúben Amorim and Zinédine Zidane are viewed by the club as potential replacements for Ten Hag, although the situation is hugely complicated by the uncertainty over ownership.

United face Copenhagen in the Champions League after that in another must-win game in order to remain in contention to qualify for the knockout stages.

This all follows reports which have suggested that the playing squad have ‘growing doubt’ about the manager.

Many fans are frustrated with what seems to be a pattern emerging of unrest as soon as the chips are down. Similar endings happened for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho.

Ten Hag insists that he is ready to ‘fight’ to help turn around the team’s form, alongside his players, but it appears now that pressure is not only external but also from within the club.