Sir Alex Ferguson set to miss Man United v Brentford match after Ineos decision

Sir Alex Ferguson will be notably absent from Manchester United's clash with Brentford after Ineos terminated his £2million-a-year contract.

The new part-owners of the club have decided to remove Ferguson from the payroll at the end of the season in a bid to reduce costs across the board. Despite retiring as a managerial icon in 2013, the 82-year-old has been a global ambassador for the Red Devils.

Although he maintains amicable relations with both the club and Ineos head Sir Jim Ratcliffe, The Daily Mail reports that Ferguson will miss today's game due to a 'prior engagement'. He is still a welcome figure at Old Trafford, often seen in the stand named in his honour, and will continue as a non-executive director.

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However, it's understood that he, along with other football board members, have been restricted from accessing the dressing room. United stalwart Eric Cantona expressed outrage over Ineos' decision to include Ferguson in their cost-cutting measures.

On social media, the French icon vented: "[He] should be able to do anything he wants at the club until the day he dies," adding: "Such a lack of respect. It's totally scandalous. Sir Alex Ferguson will be my boss forever! And I throw them all in a big bag of s***!"

Ferguson's decision to miss Saturday's crucial match against the Bees is a significant blow for beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman was teetering on the edge of dismissal prior to the international break, but club executives have decided to extend his tenure.

Last season, Ten Hag guided United to an eighth-place finish - their poorest performance in the Premier League era. This slump underscores the decline since Ferguson's 27-year reign, which brought 13 league titles.

Brentford, currently three positions above United in the standings, would be a particularly crushing defeat for Ten Hag, especially as Bees' manager Thomas Frank is rumoured to be a leading contender to replace him if Ineos decides to make a change.

"Who knows what will happen in the future," Frank said during the international break. "Maybe I will stay here for many years. I'm open, maybe something happens.

"How many coaches have been at the same club more than six years? Very few."

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