Gary Neville gives verdict on Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future amid major 'concern'

Gary Neville insists Erik ten Hag should be given until at least the end of the season but is 'concerned' by his inability to adapt for big matches.

Ten Hag is under pressure as he takes Manchester United to Liverpool and The Manchester Evening News understands that heat will increase if defeat is heavy. The Dutchman oversaw a joint-worst ever defeat at Anfield last season, conceding six second-half goals in a 7-0 defeat.

That humiliation was one of a number of defeats away from home against top opposition in what is a major concern for Ten Hag. Against the other top-nine Premier League teams, United have taken just one point from 12 games under the manager and Neville believes he should change the approach for such occasions.

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"I think the manager should get to the end of the season, definitely," Neville told Sky Sports. "It’s the right thing to do, but my concern is that he doesn’t do anything different for the big games away from home.

"He’s continued to play the same kind of football and today, if he sends them out in the same style with man-to-man marking, open midfield, they’ll get absolutely killed. He has a responsibility to put them out there in a shape that gives them a chance - for me, that’s a 5-4-1 or a 4-5-1 which would be very solid.

"[Jose] Mourinho did that here, [Louis] Van Gaal as well. Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] did it in big games and Ten Hag hasn’t demonstrated that he’s willing to change for big games."

United go into this afternoon's game off the back of three defeats in four across all competitions, having been eliminated from the Champions League during the week. Ten