MANCHESTER UNITED co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been spotted heading into Old Trafford with chairman Joel Glazer amid speculation over the future of manager Erik ten Hag.
The Red Devils played out a goalless draw at Aston Villa on Sunday in their final match before a two-week international break – with Ratcliffe and other Man Utd bosses watching on from the stands.
Man Utd sit 14th in the table and their tally of eight points from seven games makes it their worst ever start to a Premier League season.
Now Ineos boss Ratcliffe, 71, who is in charge of the football operations at the club, has been seen at Old Trafford on Monday alongside fellow owner Joel Glazer.
He is set for showdown talks with club chiefs, including co-chairman Glazer, in London on Tuesday to discuss the future.
SunSport understands their trip today is for various meetings, with Glazer attending one with the Fans’ Advisory Board.
Reports have emerged claiming The Red Devils are lining up a move for ex-Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel has been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich in June.
He previously spent 20 months in the Premier League managing Chelsea.
But earlier this year he told Ratcliffe that he did NOT want the United job.
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MANCHESTER UNITED eased the pressure slightly on boss Erik ten Hag with a hard-grafted stalemate at in-form Aston Villa.
United looked much more solid defensively after Ten Hag rung the changes – though the Red Devils still have just eight points from seven Prem games.
Here’s how SunSport’s Graeme Bryce rated 14th-placed United rated at Villa Park on Sunday.
ANDRE ONANA – 7
Guilty of sloppy distribution once or twice but his hands were safe enough and he did well to beat away a piledriver from Youri Tielemans to keep United on level terms.
NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI – 6
Managed to contain Jaden Philogene comfortably enough in the first 45 minutes but failed to appear for the second half and was replaced by Victor Lindelof.
HARRY MAGUIRE – 6
Booked for a high forearm challenge on Ollie Watkins but his afternoon ended at half-time after he appeared to jar his knee defending a corner.
JONNY EVANS – 9
Handled Ollie Watkins well in the first 45 and showed all his experience to deal with the twin threat of Watkins and Jhon Duran for the final half hour. Rolled back the years with a five-star display to earn his Man of the Match rating.
DIOGO DALOT – 7
Sat in and rarely got forward but snuffed out the threat of Leon Bailey and was tidy enough. Crucial block to deny Philogene a stoppage time winner.
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – 7
Used all his experience to plug any gaps in United’s carefully constructed midfield. Dealt with the threat from Morgan Rogers well.
KOBBIE MAINOO – 7
Nothing flashy from the England midfielder who had his work cut out preventing Youri Tielemans carrying out his magic.
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO – 6
Fired in a first-half shot which Emi Martinez dealt with comfortably but shot hopelessly wide a couple of times after the break. Sloppy finishing let him down.
BRUNO FERNANDES – 8
United’s skipper only played after his red card against Spurs was overturned on appeal.
Kept his cool here to avoid a third red card in three games – came closest for United with a free kick which crashed off the Villa crossbar.
MARCUS RASHFORD – 7
Taken off at half-time in Oporto and taken off after 64 minutes to save himself a second yellow card here!
Looked United’s likeliest match-winner after forcing an early save from Martinez before bringing the best out in the Argentine World Cup winner with a sizzling effort which the ‘keeper tipped over. Booked for a foul on Cash.
RASMUS HOJLUND – 6
Put himself about and was involved in the clash which led to Ezri Konsa limping off. But lacked service and was replaced by Zirkzee just beyond the hour mark. Below par.
SUBS
MATTHIJS DE LIGT for Maguire (46 minutes) – 5 – Conceded a few fouls in dangerous areas. Still finding his feet.
VICTOR LINDELOF for Mazraoui (46 mins) – 6 – First appearance since March but fitted in well as a stand-in right-back. Booked for a foul on Morgan Rogers.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE for Hojlund (64 mins) – 5 – Miles off the pace, failed to make any impact.
ANTONY for Rashford (64 mins) – 6 – Brought out the best in Emi Martinez with a curler which was heading for the top bin until the keeper plucked it out of mid-air.
CASEMIRO for Mainoo (85 mins) – 6 – Helped see out the match for United.
Man Utd had been seeking a new manager before Ten Hag’s FA Cup final triumph and considered Tuchel an option.
But the German told officials that he instead wanted some time away from management.
It is currently unclear whether or not his position has changed since then.
Tuchel is yet to be contacted by United officials this season.
Despite the ongoing speculation around his future, Ten Hag insists he would know if his job was at risk.
Following United’s drab 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, he said: “I don’t have any idea that is different. Because they should have told me. We communicate very open, very transparent.
“I speak continuously with them and just after the game I have to do my job, talk with the players, manage the players and answer questions from you.
“We always talk. Every week, I would say every day we talk, so I expect I will speak with them.
“I think you said it very good – external noise. Internal, we are disappointed, we know we have to do better, especially we need to score more, that is the moment in this area after this block of games where we are really short.
“All the other areas we are doing really well: four clean sheets, so that tells something about the defending and about the organisation, the defending of defensive transitions.
“We are doing really well, we are really improving on that point.
“Our build-up play is good, we are calm and composed. We are creating chances apart from today. Today we should have created more.
“But that area in the box of the opponent, we have to be more ruthless, more clinical, more killing and we have to work on this.”
