Ten games for Erik ten Hag to save his job might have been optimistic, claims Chris Sutton… as Ian Ladyman tells Mail Sport’s It’s All Coming Up podcast Man United boss reminded him of David Moyes in Newcastle loss

Chris Sutton has joked he may have been optimistic to suggest Erik ten Hag has 10 games to save his job following Manchester United’s Carabao Cup exit to Newcastle on Wednesday. 

After a 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby, Sutton said on Monday’s It’s All Kicking Off podcast that the United boss could be nicknamed ‘Erik ten Games’ – a nod to the mounting pressure he is facing amid some calls for the sack.

With Sunday’s dismal derby loss following up by an ’embarrassing’ cup loss to Newcastle, Sutton thinks he may have been too conservative with his 10-game prediction.

‘That might have been optimistic!’ Sutton said, on Thursday’s It’s All Coming Up show.

‘The team is in regression and he has to take responsibility. They look like they’re drowning.’

Co-host Ian Ladyman, who was at the game for Mail Sport, likened Ten Hag to a former United boss in the shape of David Moyes.

Reflecting on what he saw from the Dutchman after another galling loss, Ladyman concurred that Ten Hag looked like a man ‘drowning’ in the negativity. 

‘They were utterly abysmal,’ he said. ‘They were extraordinarily bad. 

‘I fear for Ten Hag now; the public tide is turning.’

He continued: ‘He reminded me of David Moyes last night. 

‘Moyes looked haunted, red eyed, like he wasn’t sleeping and was out of his depth. Ten Hag looked like that last night, he looked absolutely helpless. 

‘I dont want him to go, but they have regressed this term at a speed that has astonished me. They looked like 11 strangers last night and that is on him.’

Given Ten Hag has spent £400million on players, including reunions with former Ajax stars Andre Onana and Antony, the manager must take responsibility for this disastrous start to the campaign.

‘I saw Mike Keegan’s article about the kit not fitting [properly]. The shirt is too big for all the players at this moment in time,’ Sutton added. 

‘Erik ten Hag shouldn’t be getting an easy ride. He’s under the pump now.’

Back to back 3-0 home defeats has accelerated the pressure on his position, but he vowed on Wednesday to turn this sinking ship around.

‘We have to put it right. It is my team and they are not performing. I am responsible. As a team we are not good enough and whatever the reasons are, there is no space for excuses,’ Ten Hag said.

‘We have to do things better and we have to raise our standards because otherwise you never get the right levels of performance and never get the results.

‘But I am a fighter. I know it is not always going up and we have a lot of setbacks this season so far, but also you have to deal with it and that is never an excuse.’

Asked if he doubts his ability to turn United’s fortunes around, Ten Hag replied: ‘I understand it when the results are not there it is also a logical process that they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it. At all my clubs I have done it and also last year here I did it as well.’

In the space of 90 minutes, Ten Hag went from 8-1 for the sack to second favourite to be axed among Premier League managers as he lost for the eighth time in 15 games this season.

‘It is below the standards everyone expect from Manchester United – it is not good enough by far,’ admitted the United boss.

‘At this moment we are in a bad place. I take responsibility for it. I see it as a challenge. 

‘I am a fighter and I am in that fight and I have to make sure that I share the responsibility with my players and that we stick together and fight together, and get better results.’