Erik ten Hag may have been given a vote of confidence by Manchester United brass, but Michael Owen thinks the manager could be "under pressure" by the third game of the upcoming Premier League season.
Ten Hag presided over United's worst campaign in decades last season, as the Red Devils finished eighth in the league and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage. Despite heavy speculation that he would be replaced this summer, the club handed Ten Hag a one-year extension.
However, things can change quickly in football and Owen believes Ten Hag needs to have the team flying out of the gates or he could be on the hot seat just weeks into the new campaign.
“How long Erik ten Hag will remain as Manchester United manager if things don’t turn around will depend on their performances, who they lose to and how they lost them," Owen told Casino Hawks.
“They play Liverpool three games into the season and if that was to go badly wrong, that would magnify the pressure on his position.
“I think it's fair to say if he doesn't start the season well then he would be one of the first managers under pressure. He's always going to point to the two trophies that he's won and the FA Cup has definitely bought him time.
“But another factor to bear in mind at the moment is that there are a lot of new faces at Manchester United - and none of those people had a say in appointing Ten Hag.
“So straight away, if things go wrong, there's no skin off their noses in many ways. Of course they want the club to do well, but it wasn't their appointment.
“So they're almost buying themselves an extra life by saying, let's try to keep going but if it goes wrong, then of course the next person will be our man.”
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