Manchester United are 14th in the Premier League at the October international “break”, and the cries for Erik ten Hag’s job continue to grow louder from the Old Trafford faithful.
It was already surprising to see INEOS back the embattled Man United manager instead of wiping the slate clean with a new coach, as dream target Thomas Tuchel was available after his falling out with Bayern Munich.
Instead, Tuchel had just taken the England national team job, and despite a poor start to the season and emergency meetings deliberating over his job status, Ten Hag remains the Manchester United manager.
However, despite Tuchel’s appointment by England ostensibly giving Ten Hag more time with the best option off the market, the Dutchman’s hold on his position remains tenuous and could abruptly change this weekend.
According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are actually prepared to give Erik ten Hag the sack this weekend if the Red Devils implode against Brentford, who are a quality side in the Premier League.
Making matters more difficult for Ten Hag is the latest injury crisis in defense, as Noussair Mazraoui’s heart procedure leaves the club with only Diogo Dalot at right back, necessitating veteran journeyman center back Jonny Evans to move to left back.
That could be a recipe for disaster against Brentford, who are ahead of Manchester United in the Premier League table and boast one of the best right wingers in the world this season in Bryan Mbeumo, who has scored a jaw-dropping six goals in seven games.
So Ten Hag is certainly up against it on Saturday at Old Trafford. His job is on the line, and if the Daily Mail’s report is indeed true, then all it would take is a defeat for Manchester United in order for the ex-Ajax manager to lose his position.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He covered Real Madrid from 2019-2022 for The Real Champs as a site manager. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other major outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.