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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Alex Young

Manchester United: Erik ten Hag sends warning to next manager over Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS

Erik ten Hag has sent a warning to his successor as Manchester United manager.

The Dutchman is widely expected to be sacked by United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe even if he guides the club to FA Cup Final success at Wembley over rivals Manchester City.

Ten Hag enjoyed a successful first season at Old Trafford, winning the Carabao Cup, reaching the FA Cup Final and a third-place finish in the Premier League.

However, his this season fallen well below expectations, even realistic ones. Ten Hag himself admitted it has been "crap", with the club finishing eighth - their lowest in Premier League history - and with a negative goal difference to boot.

And now Ten Hag has blasted the unrealistic expectations in and outside the club.

“Let me be clear," he told Voetbal International. "It has been bad. It has been crap. But despite everything, we are going to play an FA Cup final."

He added: "Manchester United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago. But, still, they expect us to win every game while competing at the top. This club is not ready for that.

"We were supposed to start building something and we made the first steps last year, but then you find out how big this club is and that nobody is ever satisfied.

"Within the club people were satisfied, but outside the club there was noise by saying I won only the Carabao Cup, lost the FA Cup Final and finished third. Well, then you have no sense of reality. Other clubs had a much better squad."

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