Ten Hag warns relegation is 'certainly possible' for struggling Man Utd

Erik ten Hag has warned that Manchester United face a genuine relegation fight, with the club sitting 17th in the Premier League table after one win from their opening nine games — separated from the bottom three solely by goal difference.

Ten Hag, sacked by United in October 2024 when the club sat 14th, was asked directly whether he believes his former side could go down. Speaking to ESPN NL’s Goedemorgen Eredivisie, the Dutchman did not shy away from the possibility. “In the Premier League it’s certainly possible, because all the teams are simply strong,” he said. “They’re all strong squads, all good managers. And if you end up on the wrong side once and you really get into that vicious circle — yes, then it can become very, very difficult.”

United’s slide continued at the weekend as they fell to a third consecutive league defeat, losing to Chelsea and finishing the match with ten men. The result heaped further pressure on manager Michael Carrick, who only took the role on a permanent basis in the summer and is now the third man to hold the position under the Ineos hierarchy in just over two years.

The scale of United’s predicament is historically stark. The club have not been relegated since 1974, and this is the first time they have been in or around the drop zone after nine or more games since November 1986 — when Sir Alex Ferguson collected a single point from his first two matches following Ron Atkinson’s dismissal.

Carrick, for his part, has kept his public response measured. “We’ve got to keep moving forward and winning games, simple as that,” he said. “There’s no words that I’m going to explain to you now that makes it any difference — it’s not going to change it.” The manager added that he preferred to focus on how quickly points could be recovered rather than dwell on the club’s position. “You can look at how far you can move up the league quite quickly if you win football matches,” he said. “So that’s the way it’s got to be approached, for sure.”

The fixtures ahead offer little immediate comfort. United’s next Premier League assignment is at home to Aston Villa, before a trip to Liverpool — two opponents who will test a squad that has managed just one league victory all season, that coming against newly promoted Ipswich at Old Trafford.