Erik ten Hag said friends tried to talk him out of taking over as Manchester United manager because they thought he faced an “impossible job”.

Ten Hag told fanzine United We Stand he was warned how tough life would be.

“Everyone was telling me ‘You can’t succeed in that job’. They said it was impossible. Me? I wanted the challenge,” the 53-year-old said.

In his first season in English football, former Bayern Munich youth boss Ten Hag ended United’s six-year wait for a trophy when they beat Newcastle in the EFL Cup final.

However, the Red Devils are way off the pace of leaders Arsenal in the Premier League table and are bottom of their Uefa Champions League group with one match left to play.

They have not seriously challenged for the Premier League or the Champions League since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

Ten Hag is the sixth man – after David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick – to try to bring success back to the club.

“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was such a great club with such a great fanbase,” Ten Hag added.

“People love Man Utd, or they are against Man Utd. I like clubs like this. Ajax was like this.”

United’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Wednesday has provided Ten Hag with some respite from the increasing pressure he is facing.

He denied earlier this week there were rifts in his squad, although, evidently, Jadon Sancho’s continuing exile means there is at least one player with whom the Dutchman has no working relationship.

However, despite the financial impact of freezing out a player who cost United £74m when they bought him from Borussia Dortmund in 2021, Ten Hag insisted he stands by his treatment of the England international.

With an announcement about Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group purchasing a 25% stake in the club believed to be imminent, fresh impetus could be around the corner for the Red Devils.

But the deal is unlikely to be concluded quickly enough to have a significant impact on the club’s January transfer window spending, and Ten Hag doesn’t expect to do much business.

“I don’t think [we will spend a lot],” he said.

“As a club, you have to look for improvements, so if you can find better and it’s realistic financially and with Financial Fair Play, the club has to go with it.

“But most of the time you don’t attract the best players in the winter.”

Arsenal last won the Women’s Super League title in 2019 with Chelsea having dominated the competition in recent years.

Since Arsenal’s triumph, the league has not been won by more than a two-point margin, meaning matches between title challengers can often make all the difference.

Arsenal have felt that pain, missing out by a point in 2021-22 despite beating Chelsea at home on the opening day and coming away with a draw at Kingsmeadow later in the campaign.

So as the WSL’s top two teams go head-to-head again on Sunday at Emirates Stadium, live on BBC Two from 12:15 GMT, Arsenal know this could have a significant impact on the standings in five months’ time.

“The entire season is still very young, but we all know these games can make the difference in the end,” said Arsenal midfielder Lia Walti.

“We have done well with results against Manchester City and Manchester United – but it’s going to be an even bigger game against Chelsea.

“Firstly, they are three points ahead of us. Secondly, it’s Chelsea and Arsenal. You can’t really get much bigger and from the games we’ve had in the past, they were pretty tight.

“We all know about Chelsea’s strengths. They’re a great team with a great coach, who always sets them up well in the top games.

“But we are close in every game against them. It doesn’t really matter what was in the past. We’re here to win every day.”

‘We don’t want her to finish on a high’

Arsenal sit three points below Chelsea following defeat by Liverpool and a draw away at Manchester United in September.

But the Gunners have since been in good form – ending Manchester City’s unbeaten run with an 87th-minute winner in November as part of an impressive six-match winning streak in the WSL.

The league is wide open after eight matches with 10 points separating leaders Chelsea and sixth-placed Tottenham.

“It’s great for fans of the league that it’s such a tight race at the top of the table – or technically in the whole league. A lot of teams are able to steal some points from each other,” added Walti.

“To be in the middle of [the title race] is a lot of pressure. But pressure is part of our job. It can also be really nice. If you end up winning these games, it feels even better than if it wasn’t so tight.

“In the past it was maybe fun because you knew you were probably going to win trophies, but I think it means so much more if you win trophies right now because you know how good the competition is.”

Arsenal’s task is to end Chelsea’s dominance and spoil the party for opposing manager Emma Hayes, who will take over the USA women’s national team in May, ending an 11-year spell with the Blues.

“Emma [Hayes] has done so much for women’s football in the English League, not only for Chelsea. She has been huge and obviously we all have the biggest respect for what she [has done],” said Walti.

“But we also don’t want her to finish this year on a high. We’re here to compete with Chelsea. We are here to win trophies and we’re not going to be nicer to them just because it’s Emma’s last year, that’s for sure.

“I hope we can make it a little bit harder for her to finish on a high.”

‘We never had so many options’

Just a few months ago, there were doubts about whether Arsenal could sustain a title challenge.

They had picked up just a point from their opening two matches and were knocked out of the Women’s Champions League in the qualifying rounds despite signing several top players in the transfer window.

Manager Jonas Eidevall came under pressure but Arsenal acted swiftly, offering him a new contract and confirming their trust in him.

“In football you can’t only just win. There are moments where things don’t go right. To then feel the support of the club, or of the players, is obviously going to give you confidence back,” said Walti.

“I think the most negative thing in moments like that, would be if you don’t get confidence, if you don’t get trust, if you work against each other. In that moment, it was a strong sign by the club to commit to our coach.

“We’re now in a really good momentum. I’m happy that the club decided to keep him here. I think we keep growing under him, and we have a lot more to come.”

As well as reaping the rewards for showing faith in Eidevall, Arsenal’s recruitment in the summer is now proving to be successful.

Defenders Amanda Ilestedt and Laia Codina, forwards Cloe Lacasse and Alessia Russo, as well as midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross, have all started to make their marks.

“We never had so many options attacking-wise as we have this season and it’s absolutely great because none of them are the same – they all bring such different qualities to the team,” added the Switzerland international.

“We’ve had multiple examples this season where we’ve brought on our bench players and they changed the game for us. It’s amazing to have that competition [which will] only make you stronger as a player.

“I do think it’s going to be a huge difference for us this season to have options on the bench.”

Brentford top scorer Bryan Mbeumo will be ruled out for a number of weeks due to a “bad” ankle injury picked up in the Bees’ 2-1 loss to Brighton.

“It is bad. He’ll have a scan later, but we don’t know the exact number of weeks he will be out,” Brentford manager Thomas Frank said.

“He will definitely not play on Saturday [against Sheffield United].”

The injury could put the Cameroon forward’s preparation for the African Cup of Nations at risk, with the tournament set to begin on 13 January next year.

The Indomitable Lions face Guinea in their opening Group C game on 15 January.

Mbeumo is one of eight first-team players currently ruled out for Brentford, having taken on extra responsibility in attack during Ivan Toney’s suspension for breaking football’s gambling rules.

“His work rate for the team is incredible – you don’t see many wingers who work so hard and mean so much [to their team]”, Frank said.

“He has become the key man – ‘give me the ball, I’ll take this’. Who will that man be now? We’ll find out in the next weeks.”

Burnley have suffered an “undeniable blow” in their Premier League relegation battle with teenage winger Luca Koleosho ruled out for several months, boss Vincent Kompany says.

The latest defeat was a 1-0 loss to Wolves in which Koleosho limped off after 36 minutes.

“It’s bad news for us, he’s going to be out for a while,” Kompany said.

“I’d like to think he’ll still play this season, but it might be towards the end of the season.”

The pacy Italy under-21 international, a £2.6m summer signing from Espanyol, scored his first goal for the Clarets in last week’s 5-0 win over Sheffield United, a game which saw the Premier League’s bottom two sides against each other.

“We’ll do everything we can to make sure that he’ll get back healthy and ready to go again,” Kompany added.

“I think now the key concern for us is to make sure he doesn’t sustain any long-term damage because he’s still young, we’ll do everything right by him.

“I’ve no doubt he’ll come back stronger, but for us short-term wise it’s an undeniable blow.”

“It’s a big club, Aberdeen, and it’s not acceptable to be second bottom.”

What their lowly position in the Scottish Premiership means for Robson’s future after Wednesday’s latest disappointment at home to Kilmarnock is more open to debate.

Miller and most of his fellow Sporstound pundits believe he will “surely” at least be given a chance to redeem himself in this month’s Viaplay Cup final. Many fans are less forgiving.

With the club’s annual meeting looming large on Monday, we look at Robson’s chances of not only surviving that likely grilling but the rest of the season.

Extent of the crisis

This is not just about nostalgia for the halcyon days of Alex Ferguson’s streak of silverware, domestically and in Europe, during the 1980s.

Wednesday’s late winner at Pittodrie was all the more poignant as it came from a side managed by the man who led the Dons to four second-place finishes in a row, albeit while Rangers were absent from the top flight.

Derek McInnes’ win rate with Aberdeen was 53%. Under Robson, it is 38%.

That’s an improvement on the two managers in between – they slumped to 31% under Stephen Glass and Jim Goodwin. However, Robson’s percentage is boosted by the good end to last season that took Aberdeen up to third in the table and persuaded the board to hand their interim boss a two-year contract in May.

Seven months on, despite significant investment in the squad, suddenly the spectre of losing the proud boast of never having been relegated from Scotland’s top flight is hanging heavily over the north-east club.

Especially as Wednesday’s defeat against a Kilmarnock side who had gone winless in their seven previous Premiership trips away from Rugby Park.

Statistics are damning

Although Robson has been at pains not to use it as “an excuse”, there is no doubt competing in Europe has had a bearing on Aberdeen’s domestic form.

A disappointing defeat by Hacken in Europa League qualifying has been followed by some praised performances in the Conference League group stage, while there was the Premiership high of a 3-1 win away to Rangers and progress to meet the same opposition in the forthcoming League Cup final.

However, the Dons were thumped 6-0 at reigning champions Celtic, while those European performances have only garnered two draws and a failure to progress to the knockout stage.

Robson had pointed to a gruelling schedule of playing seven of their previous eight games away from home, but his hope that a run of four home matches along with the Hampden final would ease the pressure were dashed at the first hurdle.

Indeed, they have a measly one home win in nine this season and, overall, are without a victory in six outings – and have only two wins in 12.

‘Good players should be doing better’

Robson, who stepped up from the club’s Under-18s set-up to be caretaker last term, is facing a crucial, and potentially exhausting, week in his first managerial job.

Hearts visit on Saturday, Eintracht Frankfurt are next up on Thursday in a dead European rubber, then Aberdeen head to Hampden four days later.

Robson rightly suggests “it’s probably both boxes are killing us”, although former Aberdeen boss Miller disputes the current manager’s claim they are “dominating games” despite their poor run.

Last season, Duk and Bojan Miovski were being hailed as a deadly strikeforce and the latter is even now being touted as a possible transfer target for the Old Firm.

However, this term, the Dons are the fourth lowest scorers with 15 goals in the Premiership and have failed to net in eight of their 14 games.

They have scored one more goal than Hearts, but Saturday’s visitors have risen to third place on the back of being equally measly at the back while the Dons have the third most goals conceded (24) after Motherwell and Hibernian.

“They’ve got a good squad,” said Miller. “They should be doing better. We know that sometimes you can have good players but not a good team and Aberdeen are looking like that just now.”

Yet Robson has shown a reluctance to dip deep into that squad and, despite European demands, has only used 21 players this season – the equal lowest in the league along with St Mirren.

‘He’s got to get the final, surely?’

Robson remains confident he can revive Aberdeen’s season, pointing out that he has “been in a lot of difficult situations throughout my career”.

However, Miller detected that the 45-year-old “sounded very down there. Post-match interviews are usually very upbeat from Barry irrespective of the performance”.

“He’s going to come under pressure,” he said. “He’s got to get himself into the top six – if he gets the time to do that.

“The League Cup final is huge. In fact, Saturday is huge. Hearts are coming calling and you’ve got to put in a performance to get a bit of confidence going into that cup final. It’s not looking good for him.

“I think he’ll get the cup final. He’s got to get the final, surely? If he wins it, it buys him time.”

Former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart thinks “the turn of the year” will be crucial for Robson.

“There’s a lot of out-of-work managers who will be looking at that squad and saying I’d love to have my hands on that,” he said.

James McFadden believes the matches against Hearts and Rangers are “massive” for Robson as he looks to prevent chairman Dave Cormack axing a third manager within two years.

“I think all that would be forgiven if they get a result against Hearts and, more importantly, if they win the League Cup,” the former Scotland striker said. “But their form and performance level would make that a tough argument.”

What do the fans say?

Kenny: The current situation is symptomatic of a bigger problem at the club – lack of leadership and direction from the top. Dave Cormack’s tenure as chairman will be remembered for poor managerial appointments and refusal to appoint a competent director of football. Sort it out or step aside.

Jim: I like Barry Robson, but his time is getting shorter by the day.

Robert: Robson and Steve Agnew have been stubborn in their team selection and naive in their tactics. It’s clearly not worked and, in a results industry, they need to go. We need an experienced manager.

Gary: I like Robson, he is a fantastic coach and, if sacked the club, lose a great man. Cormack has made a lot of wrong decisions since coming in.

Michael: For the Dons to keep Robson for the second half of the season would be a relegation gamble they cannot take.

Fred: Robson seems to be unable to change things so, with regret, his tenure must be in doubt.

Pete: Give him until the end of January and if there’s no improvement then it’s time for the exit for him. The long ball doesn’t work.

Paul: I was impressed by him last season, but Robson has to go and we need a bigger name in as new manager. I suspect that it won’t be before the League Cup final, though, as that really would ruin any chance of winning.

Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper says he is not dwelling on speculation over his future following Wednesday’s 5-0 defeat at Fulham.

They have dropped to 16th, hovering above the relegation zone, before Saturday’s match against Wolves.

“I don’t think like that,” said the 43-year-old Welshman, after being asked if he feared the sack should they lose.

“That is not a good way to think. It is like saying to a player ‘you have to play well or you will not play again’ – it is not a thought process I believe in using.”

The former Swansea manager was tipped to lose his job during a similar slump in form last season, but the club’s Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis stuck by him.

Cooper eventually led the club to safety, with Forest finishing 16th on their return to the top flight.

He was widely praised for his ability to mould the team into a capable Premier League outfit after the club signed 30 players following promotion from the Championship.

But Forest’s poor run of form, culminating in the heavy defeat at Craven Cottage, has led to increased speculation over Cooper’s future.

Former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui, who is available after leaving Molineux in the summer, is being touted in reports as a possible replacement.

“We are disappointed with results and last night’s performance,” Cooper added.

“More than ever you have to show belief and character and what you stand for.

“There are going to be questions and stories, I respect that as it is the life of a football manager.

“At the same time you have to stay honed in on your day’s work and if I let anything else creep in I am not giving 100% to the job and that is what I want to do.”

Santos, Brazil legend Pele’s former club, have been relegated for the first time in their 111-year history.

Santos won 12 state titles, six league titles and two Copas Libertadores during their golden era of the 1950s and 60s.

Three-time World Cup-winner Pele died at the age of 82 last year.

Santos, who also produced Brazil’s all-time record scorer Neymar, have suffered economic issues in recent years.

Heading into the final game of the season, America Mineiro, Coritiba and Goias had been relegated.

With Santos level at 1-1, Vasco da Gama – drawing 1-1 with Red Bull Bragantino – occupied the fourth relegation spot in the 20-team division.

But Serginho scored for Vasco in the 82nd minute and a stoppage-time winner from Fortaleza’s Lucero left Santos one point adrift of safety.

Palmeiras were crowned champions for the second season in a row – and 12th in total – thanks to a 1-1 draw at Cruzeiro.

Flamengo and Sao Paulo are the only remaining sides who have never been relegated.

Liverpool spoiled Chris Wilder’s Bramall Lane homecoming to remain hot on the heels of Premier League leaders Arsenal.

However, Virgil van Dijk swept home a side-footed volley from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s corner to quell the vociferous home support despite Blades appeals he had fouled Anel Ahmedhodzic prior to doing so.

There was also an element of controversy about the Reds’ second goal in stoppage time as Darwin Nunez’s hefty challenge on Jayden Bogle was deemed fair in the build-up to Dominik Szoboszlai’s cool finish.

Liverpool, beaten just once in the league this season when their nine men lost in stoppage time at Tottenham, move back to within two points of the table-topping Gunners.

The Blades, meanwhile, remain bottom, four points from safety, after a 12th loss in 15 league games, although Wilder will take heart from a competitive performance in defeat against the second-placed Reds.

“It was a very mature and resilient performance,” Reds boss Jurgen Klopp told BBC Match of the Day. “We didn’t let the atmosphere really happen. I think everyone was really ready to go for it and we calmed that down.

“The first goal was a great goal and the second goal was outstanding – we would have loved to have ended it earlier but we take the three points and keep going.”

However, there was bad news for Liverpool, with Klopp’s post-match confirmation that centre-back Joel Matip has ruptured an anterior cruciate knee ligament – an injury sustained during Sunday’s win over Fulham.

Positives for Wilder despite defeat

If the Bramall Lane board were after an immediate reaction by reappointing self-confessed Blades fan Wilder, they got it.

“He’s one of our own,” chanted the home supporters prior to the first whistle and Wilder’s demands for a return to the Blades’ core values, after a number of embarrassing defeats, were certainly met.

A team who had conceded 39 goals in their previous 14 league games – including eight to Newcastle and five to both Burnley and Arsenal – gave free-scoring Liverpool relatively few sniffs in open play.

Indeed, it was the Blades who fashioned the best chance of the opening half-hour as Cameron Archer robbed Joe Gomez and fed James McAtee, whose shot was well saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.

Chief among the positives for Wilder will have been the efforts of Archer, a real livewire on the counter, who caused the Liverpool defence constant concern but just lacked support at the vital times.

Brentford and Luton are the next two visitors to Bramall Lane and, despite only taking five points from a possible 45, United are far from cast adrift thanks to the paucity of points gathered by their rivals at the foot of the table.

“First and foremost I asked for a performance and I definitely got that but I’m disappointed we haven’t got a result,” Wilder told BBC Match of the Day.

On his welcome back, he added: “It will stay with me forever, that. I enjoyed watching a Sheffield United performance tonight and the reception they gave me was incredible.”

Ruthless Reds get the job done

While this was from a classic Liverpool display, boss Jurgen Klopp will have taken delight in the businesslike manner they handled proceedings, considering the occasion and partisan atmosphere.

Stand-in goalkeeper Kelleher – arguably at fault for two of Fulham’s goals at Anfield on Sunday – made that key early save to thwart McAtee when the Reds were caught on the counter.

And Alexander-Arnold continued to answer his critics with yet another goal involvement, providing the delivery for Van Dijk’s opener.

He now has 75 assists in all competitions for Liverpool – only Kevin De Bruyne (129) and Mohamed Salah (80) have more in the Premier League since Alexander-Arnold made his debut in 2016.

The biggest negative for Klopp was the sight of Alexis Mac Allister limping off to add to an injury list that includes first-choice keeper Alisson, Diogo Jota, Joel Matip, Andrew Robertson and Thiago.

Salah was denied his 200th Liverpool goal by a fine save from Wes Foderingham, who also excellently foiled Nunez one-on-one, but the Reds still claimed a first away league win in five attempts.

There was still the odd sign of the defensive issues that have plagued Liverpool this season but they registered a first clean sheet in nine away trips.

However, they did enjoy the benefit of officiating decisions that could have gone either way for both of their goals as well as over a possible nudge, which went unpunished, by Ibrahima Konate on McAtee in the Liverpool area.

Player of the match

van DijkVirgil van Dijk

Advertisement

Sheffield United

1. Squad number8Player nameHamer

2. Squad number18Player nameFoderingham

3. Squad number10Player nameArcher

4. Squad number28Player nameMcAtee

5. Squad number15Player nameAhmedhodzic

6. Squad number19Player nameRobinson

7. Squad number32Player nameOsula

8. Squad number21Player nameVinicius Souza

9. Squad number5Player nameTrusty

10. Squad number35Player nameBrooks

11. Squad number20Player nameBogle

12. Squad number4Player nameFleck

13. Squad number16Player nameNorwood

14. Squad number11Player nameTraoré

15. Squad number3Player nameLowe

The BBC will show England’s first two group games at Euro 2024 and ITV will broadcast the opening match between Germany and Scotland.

Hosts Germany face Scotland on 14 June.

Scotland’s other Group A matches – against Switzerland and Hungary – will be shown on the BBC.

If Wales qualify for the tournament via March’s play-offs, the BBC will show their group games against France and the Netherlands.

The BBC will have first choice for the quarter-finals, while ITV will have the first pick of the last-16 ties and semi-finals.

Both broadcasters will show the final.

One of the most anticipated group matches – three-time winners Spain against reigning champions Italy in Group B – will be on ITV.

The BBC will show France, World Cup runners up last year, against 1988 European champions the Netherlands in Group D.

“With the Uefa European Championship, the Paris Olympics and Wimbledon all on the BBC next year, our summer of sport promises to be very memorable,” said Philip Bernie, head of content at BBC Sport.

“We’re proud that the BBC will once again bring audiences comprehensive coverage and analysis of the whole event across TV, radio and online, ensuring fans, wherever they are, can enjoy it all.”

ITV director of sport Niall Sloane said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring viewers what should be a flying start to the tournament with the opening match between Scotland and the hosts.”

Uefa Euro 2024 group schedule

14 June: Germany v Scotland (20:00 BST) – ITV

15 June: Hungary v Switzerland (14:00) – ITV

15 June: Spain v Croatia (17:00) – ITV

15 June: Italy v Albania (20:00) – BBC

16 June: Play-off A winners* v Netherlands (14:00) – BBC

16 June: Slovenia v Denmark (17:00) – ITV

16 June: Serbia v England (20:00) – BBC

17 June: Romania v play-off B winners** (14:00) – BBC

17 June: Belgium v Slovakia (17:00) – ITV

17 June: Austria v France (20:00) – ITV

18 June: Turkey v play-off C winners*** (17:00) – BBC

18 June: Portugal v Czech Republic (20:00) – BBC

19 June: Croatia v Albania (14:00) – ITV

19 June: Germany v Hungary (17:00) – BBC

19 June: Scotland v Switzerland (20:00) – BBC

20 June: Slovenia v Serbia (14:00) – ITV

20 June: Denmark v England (17:00) – BBC

20 June: Spain v Italy (20:00) – ITV

21 June: Slovakia v play-off B winners (14:00) – BBC

21 June: Play-off A winners v Austria (17:00) – ITV

21 June: Netherlands v France (20:00) – BBC

22 June: Play-off C winners v Czech Republic (14:00) – BBC

22 June: Turkey v Portugal (17:00) – ITV

22 June: Belgium v Romania (20:00) – ITV

23 June: Switzerland v Germany (20:00) – BBC

23 June: Scotland v Hungary (20:00) – BBC

24 June: Albania v Spain (20:00) – BBC

24 June: Croatia v Italy (20:00) – BBC

25 June: Netherlands v Austria (17:00) – BBC

25 June: France v play-off A winners (17:00) – BBC

25 June: England v Slovenia (20:00) – ITV

25 June: Denmark v Serbia (20:00) – ITV

26 June: Slovakia v Romania (17:00) – BBC

26 June: Play-off B winners v Belgium (17:00) – BBC

26 June: Play-off C winners v Portugal (20:00) – ITV

26 June: Czech Republic v Turkey (20:00) – ITV

*Play-off A winners: Wales, Finland, Poland or Estonia

**Play-off B winners: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Ukraine, Israel or Iceland

***Play-off C winners: Georgia, Luxembourg, Greece or Kazakhstan