ryan213

Erik ten Hag has been sacked as Manchester United manager.

The Dutchman was informed on Monday morning and leaves Old Trafford after two and a half years in charge with his final game proving to be the Premier League defeat to West Ham United on Sunday.

That result left the club 14th in the table, seven points off the Champions League qualification places, after just three league wins from nine games and only four in 14 in all competitions.

The club are now working on next steps with former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, recruited in the offseason to work alongside Ten Hag, having been asked to take charge on an interim basis with the rest of the management staff remaining in position for now.

Ten Hag was retained as United manager in the summer after an end-of-season review following an eighth-place Premier League finish, the club’s lowest since 1990, and a FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City.

United triggered a one-year extension option in the 54-year-old’s contract at the start of July. His previous deal, which he signed when he was appointed in 2022, was due to expire in 2025.

However, another hugely disappointing run of form to start the new season has prompted key decision-makers, including chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox, to recommend a change.

United kept Ten Hag in position following the FA Cup win (Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

The Athletic revealed during the international break that the United hierarchy were scheduled to meet in London while also reporting that Ten Hag’s performance as manager and possible departure was to be discussed at the meeting.

In Ten Hag’s first season at United, he guided them to a third-place finish and oversaw their Carabao Cup triumph, ending a six-year run without a trophy.

Last year, though, United struggled domestically and in Europe, suffering a group-stage exit from the Champions League, and only qualified for the Europa League this season by winning the FA Cup.

United had sounded out potential replacements including now England head coach Thomas Tuchel, newly-appointed USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi, Brentford head coach Thomas Frank and Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna.

But at the end of a process led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford, the choice was made to move forward with Ten Hag.

Not much happening here. I'm guessing it's a lack of interest/members. That's too bad.

Just wondering if the ones they sell at the stores work and if so, which brand(s) worked for you.

Are there any other news sources apart from Twitter?

Mastodon has Sportsbots accounts that mirror tweets (Ornstein , Luckhurst, Romano, etc.)but it's constantly broken.

I have RSS reader for Manchester Evening News but a lot of those are clickbait-y and annoying. You can't filter just Luckhurst articles so you have to click on it first.

Finally.

I'd like us to get Jon Cooper as our new coach. Maybe Marner traded?

Feels like Keefe is the new Bylsma. That Pittsburgh team couldn't dominate with peak Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Fleury, and Staal. Except for the first season, I mean.

Maybe I'm just dumb.

4 goals against at home this week, 0 scored.

Hahahahaha

Who are we cheering for? Obviously both losing would be perfect, but....

Anybody but Liverpool for me. 5-5 draw??

Rasmus Hojlund is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks with a muscular injury and is likely to miss next month’s Manchester derby.

The 21-year-old striker has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League fixture against Fulham and Wednesday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie with Nottingham Forest, while the clash with rivals Manchester City on March 3 will likely also come too soon for him.

Hojlund will also face a race to be fit for the league fixtures against Everton on March 9 and Sheffield United on March 16.

His injury comes amid an impressive run of personal form, having scored seven goals in his last six Premier League appearances.

He joins Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez, Anthony Martial, Tyrell Malacia and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on United’s injury list.

Marcus Rashford is likeliest to deputise through the middle in Hojlund’s absence, although the England international has struggled for goals this term scoring just five times.

Midfielder Scott McTominay is the club’s second highest goalscorer behind Hojlund’s 13 with eight.

Hojlund joined United from Serie A side Atalanta in July in a deal worth €75million rising to €85m with add-ons.

He has gone on to make 30 appearances in all competitions.