ERIK TEN HAG SAYS MANCHESTER UNITED FACE POSSIBLE RELEGATION

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag stated on ESPN NL's Goedemorgen Eredivisie programme that his old club could suffer relegation from the Premier League. "In the Premier League it's certainly possible, because all the teams are simply strong," Ten Hag said during the broadcast. The Dutchman added that every division rival possesses a strong squad and a good manager. He warned that falling into a "vicious circle" makes recovery "very, very difficult" for a team on the wrong side of results.

Manchester United currently sit 17th in the Premier League table and stay outside the bottom three only on goal difference. The team have won one of their nine league matches this season, defeating newly promoted Ipswich at Old Trafford. Chelsea beat Manchester United at the weekend to inflict a third consecutive defeat on the side, who finished with 10 men. The Ineos hierarchy dismissed Ten Hag in 2024 with the club in 14th place after he won a domestic cup in both of his full seasons.

Michael Carrick now risks becoming the third manager that the Ineos leadership have dismissed in just over two years. Manchester United last suffered relegation from the top flight in 1974. The club have not occupied a relegation place after nine or more games since November 1986, when Sir Alex Ferguson took one point from his first two matches after replacing Ron Atkinson. Manchester United play Aston Villa in their next league fixture before travelling to Liverpool. Addressing the threat of dropping into the Championship, Carrick said: "We've got to keep moving forward and winning games, simple as that."