Gary Neville sends warning to new Man United manager Erik ten Hag

Gary Neville has warned Erik ten Hag that the step up from Ajax to Manchester United will be ‘huge.’

United officially unveiled Ten Hag as their next permanent manager on Monday and he has now taken over the reins from interim boss Ralf Rangnick. The Dutchman has made a good first impression as he spoke for the first time as United boss and didn’t shy away from the fact that a lot of work needs to be done to turn things around at Old Trafford.

It’s a healthy dose of realism that will be much welcomed after United brought their worst ever Premier League campaign to a fitting close on Sunday with a 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace. Ten Hag was at Selhurst Park in-person to see the full extent of the task he has on his hands.

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United great Neville appreciates that Ten Hag has worked wonders at a big club already in Ajax but has moved to warn him that the increased media scrutiny and pressure at United is bound to make a tough job even tougher.

“It’s a huge step up,” he said on his podcast. “Obviously Ajax are a great football club, great history, great fanbase that expect so he’s had that expectation placed upon him.

“You’ve also got a great chance of winning the league because you’ve got Ajax who spend a lot more than the clubs over there. Manchester United have spent more than other clubs and haven’t delivered, he needs time, needs a period of time to settle into the club, get used to the club, it’s a huge football club and the media over here, the expectation, Manchester United is the story.

“They either want Manchester United to win or watch them lose, it’s a fact of life. There’s a story even in a season like this because they want to watch the disaster happen. The season’s done with now, that needs putting to bed quickly, it’s been an awful season on and off the pitch.”

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