Erik ten Hag told sack decision has been made as Man Utd dressing room concerns emerge

Some of the Manchester United playing squad are concerned with the intensity of Erik ten Hag’s methods as pressure continues to build on the beleaguered Dutchman

Several Manchester United players have reported concerns over the running demands placed on them by Erik ten Hag.

Ten Hag has overseen an underwhelming campaign and speculation over the Dutchman’s long-term future has dominated the narrative at Old Trafford in recent weeks. New part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has failed to publicly endorse Ten Hag and it remains to be seen if the club will continue with him next year.

The heat was already on the former Ajax chief in the build-up to Sunday’s highly anticipated Manchester derby, which United lost 3-1. That defeat means United now face an uphill battle to qualify for next year’s Champions League after ending the weekend 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.

But Ten Hag now has other issues, with a new report from The Manchester Evening News claiming that there are some players within the United dressing room who feel the intensity of Ten Hag’s methods are too taxing following a 2022/23 campaign which consisted of 62 fixtures in total. It’s also alleged that they believe said demands have contributed to the club’s substantial injury list.

It’s outlined that United have recorded a staggering 47 cases of injury or illness this season and were without a host of first-team players for Sunday’s derby, including the likes of Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Rasmus Hojlund.

Unhappiness in the dressing room is unlikely to be welcomed by Ten Hag as he fights for his future at Old Trafford. It has widely been reported that Ineos have yet to decide whether or not to stick with Ten Hag, although it’s thought he would be unlikely to continue in his post beyond this season if Manchester United fail to qualify for the Champions League.

United icon Paul Scholes, however, believes that Ratcliffe and his team have already made up their mind on Ten Hag and will make a change in the dugout ahead of next season.