Former United player urges Manchester United to keep faith with Erik ten Hag

Manchester United may face an almost impossible task against rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final, but the club should not ditch manager Erik ten Hag next season, according to former full-back Paul Parker.

United head to Wembley very much the underdogs as neighbours City look to complete another Double following their successful Premier League title defence.

Having finished down in eighth place – a lowest ever Premier League finish – and after crashing out of Europe before Christmas, the spotlight is on Ten Hag’s future.

Parker joined United from QPR in the summer of 1991, going on to win two Premier League titles and also the 1994 FA Cup final as part of Alex Ferguson’s squad.

The 60-year-old feels despite the odds now being stacked against his old club to lift more silverware at Wembley on Saturday, there could just yet be a chink in City’s armour.

“When we talking about being an underdog, it is not a team from a league below – we are talking about the biggest club in the world against its own neighbour, which is trying to embed itself as the best club in the world,” Parker told the PA news agency.

“No-one can put their hand on their heart and say ‘I expect Manchester United to win’, it is absolutely impossible.

“You have got to really explain the reasons why you believe it. Just on form, everything about it, it is impossible to see Manchester United winning it.

“The only thing which does come into it is in the last three or four league games, City were not the same side who had the similar run-in last season – they have not got that kind of spark.

“You saw that in the first half against Spurs and even against West Ham, when they pulled a goal back.

“There was a reaction in the second half of both of those games,