Manchester United sack manager and announce club's former striker as interim replacement

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has been sacked after a string of bad results.

The Dutchman, 54, was informed on Monday morning after two and a half years in charge. The team lost 2-1 away at the weekend against West Ham.

A statement from the club said: "We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future."

Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former Dutch striker who was assistant manager, will take charge of the team as interim head coach while a permanent head coach is recruited.

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Ten Hag survived a summer review by the club's hierarchy after an FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City in May.

It came despite United ending last season in eighth place - their lowest-ever Premier League finish - and crashing out of the Champions League before Christmas.

A series of bad results, including 3-0 home defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, seriously dented the side's start to the Premier League season this year.

United are currently sitting in 14th place after nine matches - with only three wins.

Sky News sports correspondent Rob Harris said the side's start to the season has been "woeful".

Ten Hag is United's fifth manager in the 11 years since club legend Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and the team has not won the Premier League in that time.

The lacklustre results are "not just a Ten Hag issue but he has really struggled", Harris says, adding that the manager has "cut quite a despondent figure at times".

Sky Sports News understands that Ten Hag's sacking was a unanimous decision by the club's board in the wake of Sunday's defeat at West Ham.

It was felt the club's on-field results were not good enough and there were no excuses for the position United are in.

Ten Hag signed a three-year deal with United in 2022, taking over from the club's interim coach Ralf Rangnick after former coach and club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer departed.

United won the Carabao Cup in 2023 and beat rivals Manchester City - the Premier League champions - to win the 2024 FA Cup final in a surprise 2-1 victory at Wembley at the end of last season.

Ten Hag has frequently defended his record at United, pointing to winning these two trophies in his two full seasons in charge.

But these moments of glory did not end the doubts about his leadership.

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Former United defender Gary Neville said "I don't think anyone will be truly shocked" after his old side sacked Ten Hag.

He told Sky Sports a lack of identity and poor performances were to blame for him being sacked.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who became a part-owner of United - with control of footballing matters - in February, said he wanted to restore the greatness of United and knock current Premier League champions Manchester City "off their perch".

Asked recently about Ten Hag's future, Sir Jim said he liked the coach but that results needed to improve - adding that changing the manager was not his decision to make.

Interim head coach van Nistelrooy is considered a United legend, having scored 150 goals in 219 appearances and completed the clean sweep of domestic trophies.

Since retiring as a player in 2013, he has had some coaching experience and most notably won the KNVB Cup during a stint as PSV Eindhoven boss.

(c) Sky News 2024: Manchester United sack manager and announce club's former striker as interim replacement