Ten Hag sacked LIVE: Man Utd line up next manager as interim named

Ruud van Nistelrooy has managerial experience. He retired from playing in 2012 and began coaching with PSV Eindhoven’s reserve team until he was handed the first team job in March 2022.

He won the 2022 Johan Cruyff Shield and the 2023 KNVB Cup before retiring due to a ‘lack of support’.

He stepped up in July to assist Erik ten Hag and Manchester United but things have not gone to plan at all. In total he has managed 89 games, winning 44, drawing 21 and losing 24.

Will Van Nistelrooy’s experience work out for him at Old Trafford?

Gary Neville also addressed the fact that Ruud van Nistelrooy is now managing Manchester United, albeit on an interim basis.

“Ruud will do his best, I thought for months, I think they’re better suited with three at the back, maybe that could happen, give them more comfort,” said Neville,

“An extra body at the back, more support, I think Ruud could do that, I’m not sure if it’s right, we’ll see on Wednesday against Leicester.

“In the immediate, those players will have to be worked with. Is there anybody watching United who don’t think they’re better than their showing?

“No chance they’ll get to the top with that squad, but they’re better than 14th… better than sixth. You start to question every player on the pitch, you lose faith with everybody.

“If a manager can get a song out of them, who to keep and who to sell. I wouldn’t change anything in January, work with them for six months. The sporting department of the club also to work this out.”

The former Man Utd captain spoke to Sky Sports to give his initial reaction to the news and described how the owners must have been thinking about this change for a while.

He added: “I suspect that Tottenham game would be a catalyst to look for a new manager, being in that position, you look who’s available, being diligent and then think of the timing. In our position, you’re hoping the manager will turn it around, start to win matches, 99/100 when you’ve made the decision, the tide’s against you, it continues to go against you, they decided the next big loss, they’d have to act. They started, I’m sure, after Tottenham, it felt like the end. Even if it wasn’t actually the end.

“I think the lack of identity and style has been a mystery, recruitment has been poor. It’s been awful at times. I believe there’s a group of players who can play better than they are.

“I was shocked to see Eriksen and Casemiro starting and Ugarte on the bench. He’s not started brilliantly, but if I’m an owner, I look at that, those two getting on in age, this lad with legs, I’d ask questions. Lack of style of play has been a problem. It’s a struggle watching them play. As big a problem as the results.”

Gary Neville has given some thoughts on the sacking of Erik ten Hag saying: “I thought it was coming, looking at Tottenham, I thought I’d seen this before and know how it ends. It was a bad day for Ten Hag, everybody thought that would be the day we would kick on, but it’s got worse. Missing chances yesterday was unacceptable, the decision was a bad one.

“The challenges of the performances, the owners have decided to sack Ten Hag, I don’t think anybody will be shocked.

“There will be those that say they have been proven right, fans wanted to continue with Ten Hag, give him an opportunity to succeed under a new structure. The shock has been how bad they’ve been, the new signings, to get a good performance and some stability. 14th? It’s unacceptable. The spend that’s occurred. I was hoping it would end differently, the faith shown in him would pay off, but it’s not the case.”

Manchester United sacked Ten Hag after his team’s fourth league defeat of the Premier League season on Sunday.

That was his 35th defeat from 128 games in all competitions. United won 70 of those matches and drew 23, leaving Ten Hag with a win ratio of 54.7% while at Old Trafford.

In comparison, David Moyes’ ratio was 52.94%, Louis van Gaal’s 52.43% and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 54.17%.

Ten Hag had the second best win ratio of any manager since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, sitting behind Jose Mourinho who won 58.33% of his matches.

With Ruud van Nistelrooy now operating as interim head coac for Manchester United here’s what he faces in his first few games.

First up are Leicester City in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford. The match takes place on Wednesday evening which is an incredibly short turn around.

After that, they play Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend and PAOK in Europe next week before another home game against Leicester in the league.

Four matches in quick succession is certainly a test but Van Nistelrooy could come out of it with credit in the bank if he wins all those games.

BBC Sport are reporting on the net spend each Manchester United manager has had since Sir Alex Ferguson’s time at the club with the figures broken down below.

Erik ten Hag has the highest net spend (money spent minus money recouped from sales) of any Manchester United boss since Sir Alex Ferguson.

David Moyes (2013-14) £60.7m – Total: £60.7m

Louis Van Gaal (2014-16) £110m + £41.3m – Total: £151.3m

Jose Mourinho (2016-2018) £104m + £135m + £49m – Total: £288m

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2019-21) £143m + £66.5m + £97.4m – Total: £306.9m

Erik Ten Hag (2022-24) £187.8m + £118.20m + £95m – Total: £401m

(Figures provided by FootballTransfers.com for BBC Sport)

There was a time when Manchester United came to West Ham, Wayne Rooney took aim from 57 yards and scored. Many a comparison with the past can damn this United side but, a decade on, Diogo Dalot came to West Ham, took aim at an unguarded goal from eight yards and missed. Whether it was excruciating or merely amusing depends on your perspective, but it was costly, summing up Manchester United’s self-destructive streak.

They contrived to lose a game in which they had been absurdly, astonishingly dominant before the break. Dalot was the worst offender but not the only one. “I collected six or seven 100 percent chances we should have scored,” said Erik Ten Hag. “But in football the best team does not always win.” And United’s finest half of the season still led to a fourth defeat.

In nine league matches this season, Manchester United have scored just eight goals with their output the third lowest in the Premier League.

That is one of the reasons the club find themselves 14th in the table and why they have departed with the manager.

United’s decision to sack Erik ten Hag has been described as unanimous, with chief executive Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe all aligned.

The now former Manchester United boss said he felt compassionate towards his players for how well they performed against West Ham despite not being able to get over the line.

Speaking after the defeat he said: “I feel really compassionate for my players. They played so well, they fight so hard together, they are so determined to come into those situations and so not to kill them [West Ham, with goals] is very frustrating.”

“Now we have to show even more character. If so much is going against us, we have to stay together, keep fighting and keep the spirit. When you are winning games, it’s a motivation, it is fuel to give teams confidence and a strong belief.

“Then you can make steps forward and now we go back and we have to deal with this disappointment and this frustration, but we will do.

“We are strong, the staff is strong, we will keep fighting for Man United and we will go again on Wednesday.”

Manchester United will go again on Wednesday but they won’t be led by the Dutchman.