Why Dan Ashworth was brutally sacked by Man Utd after swift deterioration of working relationship with Sir Jim Ratcliffe & INEOS - explained

Ashworth arrived at the Theatre of Dreams amid much fanfare, having been lured away from Newcastle, but has seen his contract torn up after just five months of working with the Red Devils. His future was determined by those at the very top of United’s hierarchy – including INEOS chief Ratcliffe and co-owner Joel Glazer.

According to The Athletic, a working relationship there deteriorated after the decision was taken to part company with Dutch coach Erik ten Hag. Ashworth is said to have failed to “provide clear, compelling arguments for who to bring in” – with Premier League experience favoured in the form of Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, Fulham coach Marco Silva and Brentford boss Thomas Frank. Ex-Chelsea manager Graham Potter was another name that Ashworth mentioned.

Ratcliffe is said to have “wanted more decisiveness and a dynamic appointment”, as he sought a coach with “charisma”, leaving him disappointed that Ashworth refused to look beyond “people he already knew”. Chief executive officer Omar Berrada was subsequently charged with the task of overseeing Ruben Amorim’s appointment.

It is also claimed that Ratcliffe reacted badly to Ashworth’s suggestions that a data company should be brought in to help mull over the merits of each candidate in an important managerial search, with United chiefs considering it to be the job of their sporting director to “know such matters” without outside assistance.

Eyebrows were then raised when Ashworth took a holiday on Amorim’s second day at the helm, with the general consensus being that everybody needed to be pulling in the same direction. As a result, the man who officially took office at Old Trafford on July 1 saw it announced on December 8 that he will be relieved of his duties – with more questions being asked of how the Red Devils are being run behind the scenes.