Tuchel demand, Zidane issue, Van Nistelrooy scenario - Man United told Erik ten Hag replacement

Manchester United are backing Erik ten Hag following Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur but there are questions over how patient the board will be.

Sunday was the manager’s ninth home Premier League defeat as United boss and the second league game in a row in which his side have shipped three goals without reply. United have won just two of their opening seven Premier League matches.

Ten Hag was kept on by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the new regime this summer, having failed to find a suitable replacement. The Dutchman has won two trophies in as many seasons at Old Trafford, though the club recorded their lowest-ever Premier League finish last term - eighth.

READ MORE: United set to stick with Erik ten Hag this week

READ MORE: Erik ten Hag speaks out on Manchester United future after Tottenham drubbing

Having spent more than £600million during his tenure, pressure is once again mounting on Ten Hag with few excuses available given a new hierarchy has been installed and more than £200m was splashed over the summer.

Should United’s dismal form continue and Ten Hag be axed, who should replace him? Do United look for a permanent replacement or instead a caretaker until the end of the season? Our United writers have their say.

Isaac Johnson

If Ten Hag is shown the door, there will be swathes baying for new assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy to be appointed on a caretaker basis. The former United striker would immediately bring the fans back on side and he has managerial experience from his time at PSV Eindhoven, where he won the Dutch Cup in 2023 and attained a 68 per cent win ratio.

His hiring would evoke familiar memories of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who got the full-time job after doing well as a fill-in. But every fan knows how that ended. And there are other matters to consider.

Van Nistelrooy, 48, walked out of PSV just over 18 months ago, citing a lack of support from the board as his reason. He would have no such excuse at United and 50 games in senior management is not a lot.

Solskjaer had more than 270 matches under his belt before his stint at United. Assistant number two, Rene Hake, has 333. But Van Nistelrooy would be a temporary quick win for the board in terms of fan support amid the risk that Hake is just Ten Hag 2.0.

Jake Stokes

If Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag then Ruud van Nistelrooy should be given the opportunity to impress until the end of the season. The Dutchman has already proven to be an exciting option following his – albeit brief – spell at PSV Eindhoven.

Similarly to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he'll help mend the connection between the fans and the club. If, for whatever reason, Van Nistelrooy doesn't 'earn' the head coach role then Sir Jim Ratcliffe should throw the kitchen sink at a deal for Jurgen Klopp – it would be unbelievable viewing and cause absolute chaos.

The former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund boss loves a rebuild, which is exactly what United need! Ultimately, Ratcliffe has made a mistake and, bizarrely, allowed Ten Hag to sign an extension after winning a one-off game. The British billionaire has not had a good start to life at Old Trafford at all...

Bruna Reis

If United were to part ways with Ten Hag, I think Van Nistelrooy should be given the opportunity on a caretaker basis until the end of the season. The job he did at PSV between 2022 and 2023, should not be overlooked, with the Eredivisie side finishing runners up that season.

He also won the Johan Cruyff Shield and the KNVB Cup during the brief spell he had at the Philips Stadium before departing the club due to the lack of support from the board. Well, at United, he would already be in a better position as we have seen with the financial backing from Ineos in recent months.

I believe that appointing the 48-year-old as Ten Hag's successor would not be a risk because Van Nistelrooy is someone who knows the club very well from his five-year stint as a player. He would be in a better position than other managers which would give him the ability to amend the relationship between the supporters and the club.

Isaac Seelochan

Ruud van Nistelrooy would be an exciting replacement if Ten Hag leaves. There will be plenty of comparisons with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but unlike the Norwegian, Van Nistelrooy's PSV team demonstrated a clear style of play.

Similar sentiments would have been echoed with Ten Hag as well of course from his time at Ajax. United's best bet would be to give Van Nistelrooy until the end of the season, see if a clear style emerges which they have lacked and go from there.

United should avoid any kneejerk decisions on giving Van Nistelrooy the job permanently before the season ends like they did with Solskjaer. But if the signs are good and results improve, then he might be worth keeping beyond the summer.

The hope for United would be that Van Nistelrooy ends up going on to have the same impact that Mikel Arteta has had at Arsenal - with more trophies. The Spaniard had no previous experience of managing a big club but has turned the Gunners into title contenders.

With Pep Guardiola likely to leave Manchester City sometime in the next few years, United could have an excellent opportunity in the next few years if they get their next manager right.

Tom Coley

Where on Earth do United go from here? They've tried the big-name manager, the summer was full of courting without success, what makes a mid-season managerial change (and it really will have to come to this pretty soon if results and performances continue to slide) more likely to bring the guy they want?

In terms of names, Thomas Tuchel is sure to be among them but why would he come in now? He did join the chaos at Chelsea during a season but he has already turned down United once.

The other candidates are either uninspiring or unavailable. Could they prize Kieran McKenna away from Ipswich? That would be funky but also risky. Would he make the move anyway after signing a new deal? Probably not.

Gareth Southgate is sure to be mentioned but why? That would be like going for Graham Potter and frankly neither are United material really, even if they do suit an Ineos approach.

Then there's the other high calibre options. Max Allegri hasn't been on the radar for a while, could he make a play in England. Zinedine Zidane is sure to be linked. Simon Inzaghi sure sounds cool. He has a track record.

There's no clear alternative though. Van Nistelrooy it is.

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