Erik ten Hag’s position as Manchester United manager is under serious scrutiny after a 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday night, BBC Sport reported, a result that has left the club’s hopes of qualifying for European competition hanging by a thread.
The loss at Selhurst Park was United’s heaviest league defeat of the season and their third in four Premier League matches. It leaves them eighth in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Chelsea with two games remaining, and with a significantly worse goal difference. Sixth place would secure a Europa League spot; seventh could mean the Europa Conference League, depending on the outcome of the FA Cup final.
BBC Sport’s report, published in the early hours of Tuesday morning, stated that Ten Hag’s future is “the subject of intense speculation” and that the club’s hierarchy, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, will conduct an end-of-season review. The Dutchman has one year remaining on his contract. The Times reported later on Tuesday that preliminary discussions about potential replacements have already taken place, though no formal approach to any candidate has been made.
The defeat was compounded by injuries to Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay, both of whom are doubts for Saturday’s trip to Brighton. Crystal Palace, now unbeaten in six under Oliver Glasner, secured the win through goals from Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eberechi Eze.
Ten Hag is expected to remain in charge for the final two league fixtures against Brighton and Newcastle. United face Manchester City in the FA Cup final on 25 May, a match the BBC described as “increasingly likely to be his last” should the club fail to win a trophy that would also secure a Europa League place.
