Former football pundit Eamon Dunphy believes that Manchester United's late 4-3 win over Liverpool on Sunday evening won't be enough for Erik Ten Hag to keep his job at Old Trafford.
United and Liverpool played out a cracker of a contest in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. United took the lead, and Liverpool managed to make it 2-1 before the break. Five minutes before the end, United scored again to make it 2-2. Liverpool took the lead again in extra time to make it 3-2, but United responded with two goals late on to progress to the semi-finals of the competition.
United have lost 11 times this season and have had no real momentum. Ten Hag, speaking after United's win, said that this could be United's special moment to kick off for the rest of the season.
“Every team needs a moment in a season, and we have never had this moment,” he said.
“This could be the moment where the team has the belief and energy that they can do amazing things. I think when you can beat Liverpool the way we did, you can beat any opponent; it is up to us to prove that point. Today we did.”
There have been calls for Ten Hag to lose his job at Old Trafford because of the way they play and the number of losses across the season. Some compare yesterday's dramatic winner to the 1990 FA Cup win over Forest that saved Alex Ferguson's job all those years ago.
Manchester, England, March 17: Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United is embraced by Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, after the Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final between Manchester United and Liverpool FC at Old Trafford on March 17, 2024, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)However, Dunphy, writing in his column for the Irish Mirror, believes that the two are not comparable and that the win for United and Ten Hag is merely a stay of execution for the Dutch coach.
"Now credit also has to go United’s way—and, on this occasion, to Ten Hag. His substitutions were risky but worthwhile," Dunphy said.
"To see Antony score, to see Marcus Rashford deservedly get the man of the match award, to see them come back twice, served as reminders of what United used to be and have the potential to once again become. But with Rashford, the big question has to be: why does he not do this every week?
"As for Antony, one goal is a scant return for the investment shown in him. Yet he may become a latter-day Mark Robins, the guy who saved the United manager’s job, the guy who sparked a run that ended up with the FA Cup resting in the Old Trafford trophy cabinet.
"If that does happen, we will be seeing Ten Hag back at Manchester United for the start of next season. But let’s not kid ourselves. The Dutchman is not Ferguson. All yesterday’s win provided was a stay of execution."
United's next game will be against Brentford on Saturday, March 30.
