Erik ten Hag’s Future in Doubt After Embarrassing Defeat Against Spurs

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is facing mounting pressure after a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, leaving fans and pundits questioning whether his tenure is approaching its end.

Since his appointment, Ten Hag’s highs — such as winning the EFL Cup 18 months ago and the FA Cup triumph over Manchester City last season — have been overshadowed by inconsistency and poor performances.

Despite the decision by United’s owners to back him in the summer, the Dutchman’s position now looks increasingly untenable after Sunday’s capitulation.

Spurs, led by Ange Postecoglou, completely dominated from the start. Within the first three minutes, Micky van de Ven tore through United’s defense, setting up an easy finish for Brennan Johnson.

The tone was set for the remainder of the game, with United looking disjointed and defensively frail.

Despite surviving until half-time, the red card shown to captain Bruno Fernandes only added to their woes.

United, currently 12th in the Premier League, have lost three of their first six games, including back-to-back home defeats without scoring.

The parallels to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking in 2021, after similar results, are hard to ignore.

With seven points from six matches, this is their joint-lowest start to a Premier League season.

Ten Hag has previously pulled United back from the brink, but after this latest defeat, many wonder if his time is finally running out.

The team’s defensive frailties and inability to press effectively are now all too familiar, with statistics painting a damning picture of the club’s recent form.

United fans, who have stuck by the team through thick and thin, are now beginning to lose patience.

As the rain lashed down on emptying seats at Old Trafford, one question remained: Can Erik ten Hag survive? And if so, for how much longer?