This is according to Manchester United legend Gary Neville as he claims that Ratcliffe needs to remove a Manchester United player who performed poorly, scoring just 1 out of 10, in the match against Arsenal.
On Sunday, Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe demonstrated his endurance by participating in the prestigious London Marathon. He completed the race in an impressive four hours and 30 minutes, but his day was far from over.
Just an hour after crossing the finish line, Ratcliffe found himself at Wembley Stadium, where Manchester United faced Coventry in the FA Cup semi-final. Initially, Erik ten Hag’s men appeared to have the game under control, leading 3-0. However, their Championship opponents mounted a stunning comeback, turning the match into a tense battle and nearly pulling off a monumental upset.
As the game extended into extra time, Coventry seemed poised to secure an incredible victory, only for the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to intervene. A dramatic late goal was ruled out for offside, denying Coventry their fairytale moment. The match then proceeded to penalties, where United overcame an early miss by Casemiro to narrowly secure their spot in the final.
This marks the second consecutive season Erik ten Hag has guided Manchester United to a domestic final, having won the Carabao Cup last year. Despite this achievement, questions linger over his performance as manager. Critics argue that under ten Hag’s leadership, United has struggled to meet expectations.
While reaching the FA Cup final is commendable, United’s overall season has been underwhelming. The team failed to progress beyond the Champions League group stage and currently languishes in seventh place in the Premier League, 16 points adrift of Champions League qualification. For a club of United’s stature, a top-four finish should be a minimum requirement, yet the team finds itself far from title contention.
Injuries to key players like Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have undoubtedly impacted the squad, but these setbacks alone do not explain United’s inconsistent performances. Defensively, the team has been vulnerable, conceding seven injury-time goals since February. Statistical analysis reveals deeper issues: United ranks among the Premier League’s worst in expected goals against (xGA), with a total of 63.61—far behind leaders Arsenal, who boast an xGA of 25.89.
Offensively, the picture is equally bleak. Despite scoring three goals at Wembley, United ranks 12th in the league for expected goals (xG), lagging behind struggling teams like Everton. Ten Hag’s tactical decisions have also come under scrutiny, particularly his substitutions during critical moments. Replacing Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo with Antony and Christian Eriksen during Coventry’s comeback raised eyebrows, as did the late introductions of Omari Forson and Amad Diallo in extra time.
The pressure on ten Hag is mounting, with some critics calling for his dismissal. Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News rated his handling of the semi-final a dismal 1/10, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with his management. As United continues to fall behind the Premier League’s elite, the question remains: is ten Hag the right man to lead the club forward?
