Ten Hag sack talks booked in as Man Utd are told two reasons why move for elite Premier League coach will fail

Manchester United chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been warned he will be wasting his time making any approach to appoint Aston Villa boss Unai Emery as Erik ten Hag’s successor after new claims were made about when the Dutchman could be sacked.

The Red Devils coach is under intense pressure after a seriously underwhelming start to the season, having collected just two wins from their opening seven Premier League games, to leave Manchester United 14th in the table heading into the latest international break. And the eight points Ten Hag has collected so far leaves the club already six points adrift of the top four and just five clear of the relegation zone.

As a result, speculation has intensified that Sunday’s 0-0 bore draw at Aston Villa could prove Ten Hag‘s final match in charge of the club.

Per The Athletic, the Red Devils board – with Ratcliffe, sporting director Dan Ashworth and chief executive Omar Berrada all in attendance at Villa Park – are due to meet in London over the next 48 hours with Sir Dave Brailsford, technical director Jason Wilcox and co-chairman Joel Glazer also in attendance to discuss their manager’s future.

And with speculation ramping up over potential successors, one name that has leapt to the fore over the last few days is Aston Villa coach Emery.

However, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy reckons United would be wasting their time trying to land him for two reasons, given his happiness at Aston Villa and the fact that any move to United would grant him less control.

“If Erik ten Hag is sacked, would Emery be tempted to replace him? I’d be gobsmacked if he did, certainly, if he felt he’d have less influence at Old Trafford than he does now. Anyone else and the Villa hierarchy might be worried about a vacancy at United,” Murphy told the Daily Mail.

“But Emery’s commitment to the cause means I’d be shocked if he was tempted. He is adored by Villa fans and the players will run through walls for him. They have a very high ceiling and importantly he is well-backed by the owners.

“I am not saying he wouldn’t be at United but it’s other people who would be in charge of recruitment and he wouldn’t be able to bring in his people. Expectations are growing at Villa, it’s a good place to be.”

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Ten Hag sack: What has Man Utd boss said and what do we know?

TEAMtalk revealed before the recent Tottenham debacle that it was only a ‘matter of time’ before the axe falls on Ten Hag’s reign with the club already discussing potential replacements.

Results since then have only sped up that process and it would come as a big surprise were the meeting to grant the manager more time even though any decision to remove him from his role will cost the club £16m in compensation.

Furthermore, our correspondent Rudy Galetti claims Ratcliffe will likely try again to appoint Thomas Tuchel as their new manager, with the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss having rejected an approach over the summer, feeling the timing was not right.

Ten Hag, meanwhile, is adamant he does not fear for his job and claims he has not had any suggestion from United’s decision-makers that the end could be near.

Speaking after Sunday’s draw in Birmingham, a defiant Ten Hag told Sky Sports: “We always speak, every week we speak. We are all on board together, on one page, we know what we are working through it’s a long-term process. We have come through two very tough away games.

“This is a team, we showed the belief and faith we have. I think it’s the fourth clean sheet this season. You see we had a very good organisation and togetherness. There was good character and good spirit as a team. Determined, resilient.

“We almost didn’t concede a chance, when you defend like this and get some luck, in the end, they had a big chance but it was almost the only chance I think. But the two teams were really balanced.”

Man Utd linked with Liverpool icon / Scholes slams ‘recruitment madness’

Meanwhile, with reports intensifying over Ten Hag’s future, a shock report on Sunday suggested the Red Devils would look into a surprise move for former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso – and would be prepared to wait until next summer to land their man.

The Merseysiders of course made their own move for the Spaniard over the summer but were left frustrated when he opted to remain with Bayer Leverkusen for another season at least.

But now it is claimed the Red Devils are keen to appoint Alonson as manager in what would be a stunning move.

Elsewhere, Paul Scholes has once again hit out at the club’s failings under Ten Hag, having taken a fresh pop at their transfer business and recruitment madness.

And with the pressure growing on Ten Hag’s shoulders, one of the United manager’s closest friends in the game claims it is a ‘miracle’ he remains in charge and has given a unique insight into his real thinking right now amid talk of the sack.

Ten Hag record stacks up well against predecessors