ERIK TEN HAG takes his struggling Manchester United squad to Liverpool knowing it could be the beginning of the end.
Because history shows any ailing United boss all but has their fate sealed by their Northern rivals.
In 2014, David Moyes’ United were hammered 3-0 at Old Trafford thanks to goals from Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez.
Just a month later, Moyes was fired.
His permanent replacement Louis van Gaal found himself in similar bother just two years later.
Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino condemned the Red Devils to defeat at Anfield in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.
The reverse fixture ended a 1-1 draw and United were dumped out of Europe.
Just a month on, Van Gaal was dumped out of Manchester despite winning the FA Cup.
Interestingly, Jose Mourinho’s final game in charge of United was against Liverpool at Anfield.
The date? December 16, 2018 which is almost five years to the day that Ten Hag travels to Merseyside with his future in doubt.
Mourinho’s men were beaten 3-1 and just two days later, the Portuguese tactician was sacked.
It could prove an eerie coincidence if Ten Hag’s team leave Liverpool without a win.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also fired the same month as United’s humiliating 5-0 loss to Liverpool in early November 2021.
SunSport exclusively revealed that ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter is already being lined up to replace Ten Hag.
Incoming investor Sir Jim Ratcliffe has met with Potter and favours him as the new boss at Old Trafford if he fires Ten Hag.
The threat to the Dutchman’s position increased following Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League home defeat to Bayern Munich.
United crashed out of Europe with their lowest-ever group-stage points tally of FOUR.
And they did not even drop into the Europa League after finishing BOTTOM of Group A.
Ten Hag’s flops, who were also hammered 3-0 by Bournemouth in the Prem last Saturday, were booed off as their season hit a new low.
Potter, 48, has not managed since being sacked by Chelsea in April after less than a season in charge.
But Ratcliffe remains a huge fan of the former Swansea and Brighton boss and wanted him at French side Nice.
