Ten Hag Warns Man United Relegation Is ‘Certainly Possible’
Former Old Trafford Boss Says Premier League’s Strength Could Push Struggling Giants Into A Dangerous Downward Spiral
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes relegation from the Premier League is a genuine possibility for the 13-time English champions as their struggles continue under Michael Carrick.
United, who have not dropped out of the English top flight since 1974, are hovering dangerously close to the relegation zone, with their poor start to the 2026/27 campaign raising concerns about their survival prospects.
Speaking to ESPN, Ten Hag admitted that even a club of United’s stature could be dragged into a relegation battle, pointing to the strength and competitiveness of the Premier League.
‘In the Premier League it’s certainly possible, because all the teams are simply strong,’ the Dutchman said.
He warned that a struggling team could find it difficult to escape once results begin to deteriorate and confidence drains away.
‘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,’ he added.
Ten Hag, who was dismissed by United after two-and-a-half years in charge, also defended his record at Old Trafford, highlighting the two trophies he won during his tenure.
The 56-year-old guided United to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup titles, finished third in the Premier League and took the club to two FA Cup finals.
Reflecting on his time at the club, he insisted that his achievements compared favourably with the difficult period that preceded his arrival.
‘I think we performed pretty well with United. I think we had performed more than pretty well. We couldn’t have done it better,’ he said.
‘Before we arrived, six years without winning a trophy. Look where they are now. We were at Wembley six times, we played two FA Cup finals.
‘We won two trophies, we finished third. And yes, we simply performed pretty well. And at times we also played pretty good football.’
However, the former Ajax manager acknowledged that his team also endured difficult periods, stressing that the competitiveness of English football makes poor runs particularly costly.
‘We also had a difficult spell… But the Premier League is so strong and when you hit a difficult spell, yes, then you really have a problem,’ he said.
