Joe Cole thinks Erik ten Hag has come to ‘the end of the road’ with Man United and says it will be a surprise if he has not been SACKED by Christmas

Joe Cole will be ‘surprised’ if Erik ten Hag is still in charge at Manchester United by Christmas.

Ten Hag has overseen 124 games since swapping Ajax for the Red Devils in May 2022. United have won 69 of those games, but they have also drawn 21 and lost 34 – including last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat by Tottenham.

Ten Hag’s men drew 3-3 at Porto in the Europa League on Thursday, having led 2-0 then trailed 3-2 in that game.

Next up is a trip to Aston Villa on Sunday and Cole is fully expecting Ten Hag to suffer the 35th defeat of his United career.

A loss at Villa Park would leave United with just seven points from their opening seven Premier League games of the current campaign. 

Ten Hag pictured in Porto, where his team led 2-0, trailed 3-2 and then drew 3-3 on Thursday

United players pictured looking dejected last weekend after losing 3-0 to Tottenham Hotspur

‘I fancy Villa to win the game, I can’t see anything else,’ former West Ham and Chelsea playmaker Cole told TNT Sports on Saturday.

‘We have been here before with an Erik ten Hag team when they are on the ropes and pull a result out, even the other night. It has happened so much.

‘I just think this might be the end of the road for him. It is not a great part of our job [as pundits] when a manager is in trouble and it’s their livelihood.

‘But I look at Man United and where they want to go, and Erik ten Hag. I just think, I’ll be surprised if he is there by Christmas.’

Ten Hag has faced criticism in recent weeks for the way he has managed United forward Marcus Rashford.

The Dutchman became embroiled in a war of words with Jamie Redknapp last month after the Sky Sports pundit suggested he had dropped Rashford against Crystal Palace for a disciplinary issue.

Ten Hag’s decision to take Rashford off at half-time in Porto after he had provided a goal and an assist also raised eyebrows.

Former West Ham and Chelsea star Joe Cole was at Selhurst Park on Saturday as part of the TNT Sports punditry team for Crystal Palace’s game against Liverpool in the Premier League

Cole (right) was accompanied by Peter Crouch (left) and both had plenty to say about Ten Hag

Peter Crouch, featuring alongside Cole on TNT Sports on Saturday, added: ‘Some of the decisions, the Rashford thing, I don’t think he is helping himself.

‘Being 2-0 up then 3-2 down, there is a lack of control in the games. It is his squad now, most of the players in the starting XI he has worked with before. At the moment it is just not looking good.’