Manchester United managerial target could face final audition in front of Ineos chiefs

For the short-term at least, every Manchester United fixture will be viewed around the narrative of Erik ten Hag's future. The Dutchman has survived another brush with the sack but we remain a long way from the noise around his future dying out.

It's been a good couple of weeks for Ten Hag off the pitch. He came through a meeting of the club's executive committee in London without losing his job and then saw one of the leading candidates to replace him take the England gig instead.

With Thomas Tuchel now off the market, Ten Hag will believe he can solidify his own position with an encouraging run of results. That has to begin with ending an unwanted and frankly embarrassing streak of five games without a win against Brentford this weekend.

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Then come trips to Fenerbahce and West Ham before a run of six home games out of seven, with a trip to Ipswich sandwiched in between. It could - and probably should - offer some respite for Ten Hag.

It's clear Ineos are reluctant to pull the trigger. The decision to hand Ten Hag a one-year contract extension in July has increased the compensation package due in the event of dismissal, and the one outstanding candidate currently out of work is now back in a job.

If results don't improve and United are forced into a change, then they will need to be creative. Graham Potter and Gareth Southgate top the list of unemployed managers, but there are others in work who will have smaller release fees.

There is a speculation Ruben Amorim has a clause in his contract at Sporting, while in the Premier League Kieran