Sunday’s abject surrender against Tottenham Hotspur meant Manchester United have now lost back-to-back home league games by a 0-3 margin, with the result leaving the Red Devils just four points off the drop zone.
This is United’s joint worst start to a season in Premier League history and as a result, Erik ten Hag’s tenure is in danger of ending just months after a renewal was agreed.
An eighth-place league finish meant INEOS were close to pulling the plug but the FA Cup final win meant they kept faith and backed him in the summer with five signings.
Despite adding a forward, goals continue to elude the 20-time English league champions while the defence, which was also significantly strengthened, has kept leaking goals.
EtH’s uncertain future
The next international break could see the new co-owners take a decision especially if the slump continues as the three-time Champions League winners gear up to face Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the league.
The names of numerous managers have been doing the rounds but as per i News, INEOS head of sports Sir Dave Brailsford is a keen advocate for former England boss Gareth Southgate to be handed the reigns.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Dan Ashworth are also close with the 54-year-old and while he is not a unanimous choice among the others in the hierarchy, Brailsford is expected to fight for the former Middlesbrough manager.
“Southgate has been first choice for a long time, given the close ties he has with INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe, head of sport Sir Dave Brailsford and United’s sporting director Dan Ashworth.
“Sources close to Ineos have told i that not everyone in United’s leadership team is convinced by Southgate and prefer other options should Ten Hag go. Yet the big decision-makers at the club are understood to have decided on their top choice.
“Brailsford is especially persuasive,” one source told the publication. “He set his sights on Ashworth very early on and went all out to get his man. Southgate has been his top pick as coach since he walked in the door. I expect him to fight to convince others at United that Southgate is the right man.”
Going by the aforementioned lines, it seems to suggest that Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are yet to fall in line with INEOS’ assessment and it will be interesting to see which name they ultimately plump for.
Brailsford wants Southgate
Interestingly, the report also mentions that Southgate and Brailsford have remained in contact post his departure from the England job while Southgate’s decision to change his agent has also deepened his ties with the INEOS leadership.
They seem to feel it would be a “real coup” if the 20-time English league champions manage to acquire a successful former England manager but fans still feel otherwise.
Recently, The Peoples Person relayed that Everton are also eyeing Southgate but he is not convinced with the project at Goodison Park and would prefer for the phone call from The Theatre of Dreams.
Despite reaching back-to-back Euro finals and a World Cup semifinal, Southgate ultimately under-delivered due to his persistent negative tactics, something the Old Trafford faithful will find hard to digest.
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