ERIK TEN HAG is heading for the Old Trafford exit door after losing the faith of Manchester United fans.
Sunday’s embarrassing display, despite beating Championship side Coventry in the FA Cup semi-final, was the last straw for many.
United’s hierarchy witnessed the turning of the tide in person as the Red Devils faithful streamed out of Wembley rather than celebrate a penalty shootout win which came after they had let slip a commanding 3-0 lead.
Co-chairmen Avram and Joel Glazer were there with new part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has assumed sporting control of the club.
Behind him was sat new technical director Jason Wilcox.
The quartet watched on bemused as United finally won on spot-kicks to scrape into next month’s FA Cup final.
Coventry’s Victor Torp had a 121st-minute effort ruled out for offside by the tiniest of VAR margins.
Ratcliffe has promised to restore the glory days but has failed to give Dutch gaffer Ten Hag any public backing.
He has already made changes at the very top with Omar Berrada poached from Manchester City to be the new chief executive and Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth given the sporting director role.
Ratcliffe’s right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford will also have a say in the football department.
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That is increasingly looking unlikely to have Ten Hag at the helm even if he enjoys a shock final win on May 25 against neighbours City.
Hopes of qualifying for the Champions League are all but over and they may not even get any European football at all next term.
There is a very real prospect of a worst-ever Prem finish of eighth even with rock-bottom Sheffield United Wednesday’s visitors.
Former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter is the leading contender to take the job in the summer.
Ratcliffe said: “The fans are impatient and I have some sympathy with that.
“But it’s a journey and whether they like it or not, people have to be patient.”
By Neil Custis
BRUNO FERNANDES ended the FA Cup semi-final a man bemused as to what he had been a part of.
No doubt knowing it would be he would have to try and explain it all again.
Rarely have a team slunk away from this stadium with a feeling of embarrassment having just reach an FA Cup Final.
The next time Fernandes turns up at the home of football he wants to be heading up those metal steps and picking up silverware.
Nothing less will do for the captain of Manchester United.
But he knows they have not got a hope of gaining revenge on this cross town rivals Manchester City if this is what they are going to deliver.
This was an embarrassment, plain and simple, for Ten Hag, for Fernandes, for every player in red.
After the skipper finished his TV interview he turned around to the end that had housed the United fans to clap them in thanks.
There was barely anyone left.
Read Neil Custis’ opinion in full here.
Or click here to read all of Neil’s article.
