Ten Hag says Manchester United must confront a genuine relegation threat

Erik ten Hag has warned that Manchester United could be drawn into a relegation battle after their latest defeat intensified the club’s unprecedented decline.

The former Manchester United manager was speaking after the 2-0 loss to Chelsea, a result that left the club with only seven points from nine Premier League matches. United have fallen to 17th in the table and are ahead of Crystal Palace, who occupy the final relegation place, only on goal difference.

The situation is compounded by a run of nine matches without a victory in all competitions. According to Opta, that is Manchester United’s longest winless sequence since 1984.

Asked whether the club could be relegated for the first time in more than 50 years, Ten Hag said the possibility could not be dismissed.

“In the Premier League, that is certainly possible, because all the teams are strong and all of them have capable managers,” he said.

“If you end up on the losing side once and enter that vicious circle, yes, it can become extremely difficult.”

Ten Hag, who will take charge of Dutch club FC Twente from the 2026-2027 season, also pointed to the progress Manchester United made during his tenure.

“Before we arrived, the club had gone six years without winning a trophy. Look where they are now,” he added in comments reported by Reuters.

Ten Hag joined Manchester United in 2022 and guided the club to success in the FA Cup and the League Cup before being dismissed in 2024.

Carrick remains in charge

Despite the latest setback, Manchester United’s board has decided to retain current manager Michael Carrick for the club’s next fixture against Chelsea. That decision comes after a 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth and a 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League.

United now face a significant Champions League match against Roma on Tuesday, 03 November 2026, in Rome. They then return to Premier League action against Aston Villa on Sunday.

The two fixtures could prove decisive for the direction of the season, with Manchester United attempting to halt their slide after a start that has left them just above the relegation places.