Erik ten Hag fights for future as Manchester United sound out replacements with senior stars even questioning decisions

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Erik ten Hag faces a fresh fight to save his job with Manchester United actively sounding out potential successors, talkSPORT understands.

The list of possible replacements includes at least one manager currently employed by another club and Man United are believed to be willing to entertain paying compensation.

Brentford’s Thomas Frank is known to have admirers among the Red Devils hierarchy, while sporting director Dan Ashworth worked successfully with Eddie Howe at Newcastle.

Man United have also shown recent interest in Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann.

Sources in Spain claim former Barcelona boss Xavi has held talks about a move to Old Trafford.

Xavi has a close relationship with Man United chief executive Omar Berrada from their time at the Nou Camp.

While it is not unusual for clubs to succession plan, Ten Hag is under mounting pressure after a run of one win in eight games that has left United languishing in 14th place in the Premier League table.

United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe contemplated sacking Ten Hag in the summer and held talks with various bosses including Thomas Tuchel – who is taking over England in January – Roberto De Zerbi and Kieran McKenna.

He also survived the last international break, with Ratcliffe’s INEOS group wanting to give the Dutchman time to show their faith in him was justified following a £200m investment in new players.

But Ten Hag faces a crunch spell of four successive home games including against Chelsea and Leicester in the Premier League and Greek minnows PAOK in the Europa League.

Last week’s 1-1 draw at Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce means it is now more than a year since Ten Hag won a European game – Man United’s worst run of form in continental competition since 1983.

The Red Devils are the third lowest scorers in the Premier League with a paltry eight goals from their first nine games.

Their 2-1 defeat to West Ham will have only dumped further pressure on the Dutch boss.

That’s despite many fans and Man United themselves questioning the Hammers’ winning penalty.

Diogo Dalot’s contender for ‘miss of the season’ in the first half summed up Man United’s fortunes.

Senior United players are also understood to have questioned Ten Hag’s rotation policy with striker Marcus Rashford rested after scoring three times in two games earlier this season.

£50m summer signing Manuel Ugarte has been used sparingly in the Premier League.

Fans’ favourite Amad Diallo has also found his playing time limited in recent weeks at a time when he is in discussions over a new contract.

Ten Hag won the League Cup and then the FA Cup in his two years at the club.

But that credit in the bank won’t last forever if United continue to fail to climb up the table.

Speaking about Ten Hag on White and Jordan, ex-Arsenal star Martin Keown said: "I'll be surprised if Ten Hag survives the week, let alone the season."

Meanwhile, Simon Jordan thinks if Man United don’t beat Ipswich – managed by ex-Man United coach Kieran McKenna – at the end of November, his time at the club will be over.

"Well they finished eighth in the league last year, you're now 14th in the league," the ex-Crystal Palace chairman said. "And if it continues along this vein… you've got teams coming up, you'd expect them to get a result in some of these games.

"You expect to get something out of Ipswich. You get a point against Chelsea."

"You cannot expect [Sir Jim Ratcliffe's] changes to have instant gratification,” he added. “That's going to take a period of time for the recruitment processes, the inherent systems that they're changing, the reporting process, you'd expect that to take time.

"But you cannot be Manchester United, irrespective of your wonderful achievements in the FA Cup final, you cannot finish eighth in the league and then start the following season and be 14th in the league, make no penetration into Europe, and not expect to have the challenges Ten Hag is going to have to face.

"I don't see Ten Hag being in the job post-Christmas."

He concluded: “I think he'll get the Chelsea game, the European game, the Leicester game and the Ipswich game. And if he doesn't come out of Leicester and Ipswich with wins and a decent result in Europe, I think they'll drop him then."