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Manchester United have not had the best of starts to the season, winning just two of their opening six Premier League matches. Manager Erik ten Hag is under significant pressure. But Arsenal legend Martin Keown believes he isn’t receiving enough support from the touchline, particularly from assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Van Nistelrooy joined United’s backroom staff this season to assist his fellow Dutchman. With Ten Hag feeling the strain after a poor start, the former United striker is among several names rumored to be in line to replace him if things go further downhill in the coming weeks.
Keown and Van Nistelrooy famously shared a heated rivalry on the pitch, most notably during the infamous 2003 “Battle of Old Trafford” between Manchester United and Arsenal. The match was filled with drama, and when the Gunners were reduced to 10 men, United had a late chance to win when they received a penalty.
Van Nistelrooy stepped up but missed, hitting the crossbar, and the clash ended in a goalless draw. Keown famously rushed in to celebrate in front of the Dutch striker, which sparked clashes among the players following the intense battle.
It seems that the rivalry hasn’t faded, as Keown has questioned Van Nistelrooy’s commitment to his current role, suggesting that he may be positioning himself to take over from Ten Hag in the future.
"I’m looking at Van Nistelrooy, is he giving everything to this manager? This manager looks very lonely on the sideline. Is Van Nistelrooy waiting to take over? Because it looks as if there’s going to be change taking place there. Is everyone adding to the group? I’m not seeing that from Van Nistelrooy," said Keown on TalkSport.
"Ten Hag is just sitting there, nothing going on, no conversation. It doesn’t look like the players are committed, it doesn’t look like the staff are particularly committed. It’s a lone man in the dugout," he added (via Metro)
Erik ten Hag has been given a lifeline for now. But the upcoming two matches - first against Porto in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday (October 3), followed by a clash with Aston Villa three days later - could be decisive in determining whether the Dutch tactician remains as Manchester United manager.
Manchester United legend criticises Erik ten Hag after string of disappointing results
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes was vocal about Erik ten Hag’s approach.
Although United appeared to have found form last month with convincing wins over Southampton and Barnsley, their momentum was stalled by draws with Crystal Palace and FC Twente, followed by a 3-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
Scholes criticised Ten Hag’s tactics, saying that the team looks unbalanced, while also suggesting that he still doesn’t understand United’s style of play under the Dutch manager.
“You don’t know how they’re going to play. You don’t know how they’re going to approach games, whether they are going to play on the counter-attack or sit deep or whether they’re going to try to have all the possession in the game. We’ve no idea. They look like an uncoached football team," he told Supersport (via SportsBible)
The future appears uncertain for Ten Hag, but he has turned the team’s form around in the past. The Manchester United faithful will be hoping for improved performances in the coming weeks, both in Europe and domestically.
