Alexi Lalas suggests the only two extreme scenarios that will prompt Man Utd to sack Erik ten Hag as ex-USMNT star weighs in on 'ridiculous' situation at Old Trafford

The spotlight has again fallen on Ten Hag for the wrong reasons, as questions circle about his future at Old Trafford. Following a lacklustre performance against Tottenham Hotspur, which ended in a 3-0 defeat, the Red Devils find themselves 12th in the Premier League standings with just two wins from their first six matches, leaving the manager walking on thin ice.

Despite the mounting pressure, Ten Hag has remained unfazed, dismissing any concerns of a possible sacking having recently signed a contract extension over the summer. It has been reported that it would cost Manchester United £17.5 million ($23.4 million) to terminate Ten Hag's contract after he was handed the new contract, whereas, the payout would have been slightly lower, around £10 million ($13.4 million) if he was shown the door in the summer.

American pundit Lalas has weighed in on the situation, expressing his surprise that Ten Hag remains at the helm given the current circumstances. While answering a question which asked how long would Ten Hag stay at United, he replied: "I suppose until the players publicly turn on him, or the team is in the relegation zone, whichever comes first. It’s ridiculous."

With Ten Hag’s future hanging in the balance, Manchester United faces two critical fixtures that could define the Dutchman’s tenure. First, the Red Devils will travel to Portugal to face Porto in a highly anticipated European clash. This will be followed by a challenging Premier League matchup against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday. Both matches are seen as must-wins for Ten Hag if he is to strengthen his position at the club and quell the growing unrest among fans and pundits.