Erik ten Hag: 'I have no doubts about my Manchester United future'

Regarded as a major managerial coup when he left Ajax to take charge in Manchester in 2022, acting as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's permanent successor, Ten Hag's first year at the helm was a highly successful one.

In addition to guiding the Red Devils back into the Champions League with a third-placed Premier League finish, the Dutchman oversaw Man United's run to EFL Cup glory, ending a trophy drought that had stood for nearly six years.

However, the 20-time English champions have been a shadow of their old selves in 2023-24, finishing bottom of their Champions League group and already suffering 12 Premier League defeats this term to sit sixth in the table, 11 points off the top four.

The most excruciating of those defeats yet came against Chelsea on Thursday evening, where Man United unbelievably lost 4-3 despite finding themselves 3-2 ahead in the 100th minute, the latest a side has ever lost a Premier League game after leading at such a stage in the match.

Ten Hag planning for future with Man United

Ten Hag and Man United could still lift the FA Cup this season - they will clash with Coventry City in the semi-finals later this month - but failure to make the Premier League's top four could have major ramifications on his prospects of staying in charge.

New stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has assumed control of football operations, is yet to publicly endorse Ten Hag for the job long-term, although if he is to be given the boot, it is not expected to be while the season is still going.

The manner of Man United's recent performances has attracted significant concern, though, as they conceded 28 shots to Chelsea after facing 31 attempts on their goal in last weekend's draw with Brentford, who also had 85 touches in the Red Devils' box.

Nevertheless, a defiant Ten Hag - speaking to Sky Sports News ahead of Sunday's mouthwatering affair with Liverpool - is under no impression that he will not be in the Old Trafford dugout for 2024-25, which will be the final year of his existing contract.

"I don't have any doubts. I'm just focusing on my job, focusing on this process, in this project. I really love to be here, I'm enjoying it. For me it's a challenge," the 54-year-old professed, before also affirming that he is seeing signs of progress.

"It will not go always in the right way, it's not going always the results in the way we wanted but I'm sure we're in the right direction and we will get where we want to be."

Who could replace Ten Hag as Man United manager?

FA Cup glory and a miraculous recovery in the top-four race would do wonders for Ten Hag's chances of still being employed by Man United next season, but the Dutchman's side have attracted incessant criticism for their recent displays, and with good reason too.

Should the INEOS regime decide that Ten Hag's system is not sustainable, England boss Gareth Southgate has supposedly been earmarked as a prime target, as the 53-year-old's future beyond the end of Euro 2024 remains uncertain.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O'Neil - whose side are outsiders for European qualification in the closing stages of the season - is also believed to have admirers at Old Trafford, as does Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi.

Ex-Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is rumoured to be Ratcliffe's dream candidate, but with the Frenchman still waiting for his national team job to become available, the Red Devils will seemingly have to concede defeat in that pursuit.