Gary Neville has expressed that history is repeating itself at Manchester United amid Erik ten Hag‘s struggles this season.
The Red Devils failed to win for the fourth straight Premier League match, in a disappointing 2-2 draw away at Bournemouth.
It is a result that leaves them ten points off fifth-placed Tottenham – which could potentially be the final Champions League qualification spot – with six games left to play.
Manchester United legend Neville has likened Ten Hag’s situation to Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before him, where there was a ‘breakdown’ towards the end of their respective spells in the Old Trafford dugout.
Asked about United’s struggles, Neville told Sky Sports: ‘There’s nothing more to say we’ve seen it all before. It’s a repeat of what’s happened over the last six, seven, eight years with managers in their second or third seasons at Manchester United where there seems to be that breakdown at the end.
Erik ten Hag was left frustrated as he watched his side draw 2-2 against Bournemouth
Gary Neville has likened Ten Hag’s current crisis to previous Manchester United managers where there was a ‘breakdown’ towards the end of their spells in the Old Trafford dugout
Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both made promising starts to life at Manchester United before things turned sour and they were ultimately dismissed by the club
‘The main thing is the performance levels and we’ve seen at Brentford, we’ve now seen at Bournemouth, they are really low performance levels which is a worry.’
Much has been made of Manchester United’s injury crisis this season, though Neville has dismissed that this should have any impact on their recent results.
He added: ‘I know people point towards the injuries and Manchester United have had a mountain of injuries but I said the same against Liverpool, nine of that team that started yesterday (Saturday) would probably be in the starting XI if everyone was fit.
‘(Andre) Onana, (Harry) Maguire, (Diogo) Dalot, Casemiro, (Kobbie) Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and (Rasmus) Hojlund, (Alejandro) Garnacho and (Marcus) Rashford.
‘Those are nine players, who are Manchester United’s best players in those positions. You bring in Luke Shaw and you bring in (Lisandro) Martinez and you can possibly argue between (Raphael) Varane and Maguire but there’s nothing in it.
‘They have had lots of injuries but at the moment there’s no excuses for the levels of the performances we’re seeing and every team has one or two players missing at certain points.
‘There’s no explanation for how they are playing. The anger, or disappointment has gone out of many Manchester United fans’ voices. We’ve got to a point where the FA Cup is a big thing.
‘Winning a trophy two seasons in a row should never be sniffed at. You’ve always said winning a trophy a season is a real achievement.
Manchester United appear to be out of the Champions League qualification race and their only hope of salvaging something from their disappointing season is in the FA Cup
Neville said injuries are not to blame for their current crisis, believing that Luke Shaw (left) and Lisandro Martinez are the only players currently on the sidelines who make the starting XI
‘But it is a bizarre experience watching Man United how bad they can be in games. Watching the Liverpool game where parts they played well and parts they didn’t play well and the inconsistency is rife. I’m saying the same thing every single week, all Manchester United fans are, they have just got to try get to the end of the season and win the FA Cup which is not going to be easy.’
Manchester United’s performances have declined this season, after Ten Hag guided the Red Devils to a third place finish in his first campaign.
It is a story reminiscent to that of Mourinho and Solskjaer from their respective stints at Old Trafford.
Mourinho guided United to a second placed finish and won three trophies with the club before he was sacked in December 2018.
Solskjaer impressed enough to get a permanent contract after he was initially handed the job on an interim basis, and after guiding United to a second place finish in 2021 – was sacked in November of the following season.
Pressure on Ten Hag’s future at the club has ramped up since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS bought a stake in the club back in December, with speculation that they would like to bring a new manager in the dugout as they make many changes behind the scenes.
With a Champions League qualification spot appearing to look unlikely, the Red Devils – who slipped to seventh behind Newcastle at the weekend – now will set their sights on the FA Cup where they play Championship side Coventry in the semi-finals on Sunday.
Neville says Manchester United’s season will be over if they don’t reach the FA Cup final
Pressure on Ten Hag has increased since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS bought a stake in the club
Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, the former United right-back said: ‘They have to win next weekend as the season will be over if they didn’t do and Erik ten Hag has got to look at this season whereby he could finish his first two seasons with two trophies in the bank, one in each season.
‘That should never be sniffed at. There’s nothing left to say about some of the league performances we’re seeing and some of the things we’re watching the tweets and the likes we’ve said it so many times before and there’s no point going over that again.
‘But what we can say is that Erik ten Hag’s future is largely dependent on the FA Cup, as their performances in the league are gone they are not going to change now what we are seeing is how they will finish the season it seems like the players have switched off away from home at times.
‘At home they have to turn on as there’s 75,000 people who won’t allow them to get away with it. The Man United fans they never stop away from home and they are watching some really dodgy stuff. They never turn against the team or manager and they have been dealt with some right guff. But the FA Cup is everything.’
Ten Hag refused to entertain a question about Manchester United’s potential league finish after the draw with Bournemouth.
A finish below their current seventh spot would see the club endure their worst campaign in the Premier League era and Ten Hag was questioned on the possibility.
He said: ‘I don’t take comment, take that question. That is not important for this moment,’ before walking off abruptly.’
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