In a recent interview conducted just hours before Manchester United’s clash with Liverpool, Ineos executives publicly affirmed their support for manager Erik ten Hag. This comes after a tough start to the Premier League season for United.
Manchester United’s performance has faced scrutiny, with the team only scoring two goals in their first three matches, resulting in two losses and a disappointing 14th place in the league.
Omar Berrada, who began his role as chief executive at Ineos in July, has underscored that Erik ten Hag has the complete support of the club’s leadership. In an ESPN interview, Berrada affirmed that the decision to extend Ten Hag’s contract was well-considered, and that Ten Hag continues to receive the club’s full backing. He stated, “We’re very pleased with the decision [to extend Ten Hag’s contract]. Erik has our total support, and we have worked closely with him during this transfer window. We’ll keep collaborating with him to maximize the team’s performance. Do we still have confidence in Erik? Absolutely. We believe Erik is the right coach for us and we are fully supporting him.”
Dan Ashworth, Manchester United’s sporting director who also took on his role in July, expressed similar views. Ashworth conveyed his satisfaction with Ten Hag’s management and emphasized his role in supporting the coach. He said, “I’ve really enjoyed working with Erik over the past eight weeks. My role is to support him in every way I can, whether it’s operationally, with recruitment, medical, psychological aspects, or training ground operations. My goal is to alleviate as much of that responsibility from him as possible so he can focus entirely on training and match strategy to drive Manchester United’s success.”
It’s worth noting that Berrada and Ashworth’s supportive statements were made prior to Manchester United’s defeat to Liverpool and were scheduled for release on Monday evening due to media agreements. Despite the recent loss, Ineos remains resolute in their support for Ten Hag. The executives’ comments demonstrate a firm commitment to the manager, emphasizing that their backing will persist despite recent setbacks.
Erik ten Hag, now in his third season with Manchester United, faces the task of improving on last year’s disappointing eighth-place finish. While he has received praise for winning two trophies, United fans are looking for more consistent progress. The team’s performance in the first three games of the season has raised concerns, highlighting issues such as goal-scoring problems and defensive mistakes.
With 35 league games remaining and new signings like Manuel Ugarte yet to make an impact—having not played since his arrival on deadline day—Ten Hag must deliver consistent results. Continued assurances of support from Berrada and Ashworth might become a burden. Fans voiced their frustration during the loss to Liverpool, and while upcoming fixtures might offer some respite, Ten Hag faces a critical period ahead to show improvement and tackle the team’s ongoing issues.
