Erik ten Hag on Saturday made a convincing case to be spared the sack as Manchester United upset Manchester City to win the FA Cup with a shock 2-1 victory.
Ten Hag was reportedly set to be dismissed regardless of the result at Wembley after a troubled campaign that even the United manager described as “terrible” this week.
However, United’s hierarchy might be having second thoughts after Ten Hag’s tactical masterclass ruined City’s history bid.
Photo: Reuters
City were hot favorites to win a second successive Premier League and FA Cup double, but Ten Hag found a way to neutralize Pep Guardiola’s side as first half goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo put United on course to win the FA Cup for the first time in eight years.
Jeremy Doku squeezed an 87th minute strike past Andre Onana’s weak attempted save, but it was too late to rescue City.
Ten Hag celebrated by kissing the Cup as he held it aloft in the Royal box.
Asked if he was worried about his future, he said: “I don’t know. The only thing I’m doing is preparing my team. This is a project for me. When I came in I can say it was a mess. Now we are better. We are not where we want to be.”
Having ended a turbulent season on a high note, if Ten Hag’s two-year reign does end, his exit would provoke memories of fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford departure.
Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016.
While Ten Hag waits to discover his fate, in a post-match news conference, he warned United’s owners that he would carry on winning trophies elsewhere if they decide to sack him.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe and members of the Glazer family, who are the club’s majority shareholders, celebrated the team’s FA Cup triumph from the Royal box, but it remains to be seen whether that would be enough to save Ten Hag after United finished eighth in the Premier League — their lowest final position since 1990 — and crashed out of the Champions League at the group stage.
United were beaten 14 times in the league — including humiliating losses to Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth — finished with a negative goal difference and came 31 points behind champions City.
Yet Ten Hag is adamant United are heading in the right direction under his guidance, and in the news conference, the former Ajax boss made it clear he did not fear the sack.
“When I started here, I said I’m here to win, also I want to build a team. Both I’m doing,” he said. “If they don’t want me, I go anywhere else and do what I did my whole career, winning games and trophies.”
Asked if he had received any assurances that his job was secure since the reports of his potential dismissal, Ten Hag said: “That is what they always tell me.”
“Every time it is the same question. They don’t have to tell me every week,” he said. “I don’t think about this. I’m in a project and we are exactly where we want to be. We are constructing a team for the future.”
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