'At certain times' - Steve McClaren's admission on Man United standards during Erik ten Hag era

Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren says club standards have at times dropped under Erik ten Hag but is confident Ineos will restore them to higher levels.

McClaren arrived back at United as Erik ten Hag’s No.2 in 2022, having previously worked under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford. Ten Hag won United's first trophy for six seasons during last year’s League Cup triumph but is facing an uncertain future.

A lacklustre season saw United knocked out of the League Cup and Champions League before Christmas with the club now fighting for a top six Premier League finish. They have reached the FA Cup final but are considered major underdogs against bitter rivals Manchester City.

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The embarrassing semi-final penalty win over Coventry City and Monday’s 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace have heaped further pressure on Ten Hag. McClaren’s job will naturally be on the line too as a result, with any new manager likely to bring in their own backroom staff.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe will make a decision on Ten Hag’s future soon, having refused to publicly assess the Dutchman’s tenure. MEN Sport understands that Ratcliffe is not yet convinced Ten Hag is the manager for his long-term project.

Nevertheless, McClaren has been impressed with what he has seen from Ratcliffe and Ineos, who have overseen an influx of new board members including incoming CEO Omar Berrada and new technical director Jason Wilcox.

Former England boss McClaren says that the trajectory of their work looks promising and believes they can help United raise their levels, after periods of malaise under Ten Hag. He told BBC Sport: "Arsenal are