- Erik ten Hag boosts chances of Man United stay after winning FA Cup final
- The Dutchman awaits end of season review to see if he keeps his job
- CHRIS SUTTON weighs in on who won the battle between Ian Ladyman and Erik ten Hag – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Manchester United sources say there is no guarantee that the end-of-season review will be completed this week.
The possibility of Ten Hag keeping his job has increased slightly as a result of Saturday’s FA Cup final win over Manchester City at Wembley that earned the Dutchman his second trophy in two seasons and secured United a place in the Europa League.
Co-owners Ineos are understood to be aware of a groundswell of support among fans for Ten Hag to stay in charge for the third year of his contract, and have not ruled out keeping him.
When Louis van Gaal was sacked after winning the cup in 2016, supporters had grown tired of his brand of football and were excited at the prospect of Jose Mourinho taking over.
That is not the case now with many supporters underwhelmed over the links with Roberto De Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, Kieran McKenna and Thomas Frank.
Erik ten Hag’s chances of keeping his job have slightly increased after the FA Cup final win
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the board will undergo an end of season review before making any call
Selecting the right replacement will be a challenge for Ineos if they do decide to axe Ten Hag.
They are understood to want a coach who would be prepared to work as part of a management structure and be less likely to kick up a fuss if they don’t get what they want. In that sense, Tuchel, Pochettino and De Zerbi are not an ideal fit.
Alternatively, Frank and McKenna lack the star quality to manage United and win over fans who would be upset to lose Ten Hag.
Meanwhile, the 54-year-old United boss was beginning a family holiday on Monday, still in limbo over his future.
