Erik ten Hag ‘still has the FULL backing of Man United’s board’ and chief exec Richard Arnold ‘believes the club is making good progress’… leaving fans wondering what he’s been watching!

• Man United were soundly beaten by Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday 
• Ten Hag is coming under mounting pressure amid his side’s dismal start
• Follow Mail Sport’s new United WhatsApp channel for all the breaking news 

Erik ten Hag retains the full backing of Manchester United’s board despite their dismal start to the season, according to reports.

United suffered another humbling at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester City on Sunday, condemning Ten Hag’s side to their fifth defeat from their opening 10 league games.

It is the first time since 1986 that United have suffered five losses in their first 10 matches since 1986.

United put in another dismal display in the 3-0 defeat by City but the Manchester Evening News report Ten Hag has the support of the club’s decision-makers and his position is not under threat.

Chief executive Richard Arnold has also reportedly claimed United ‘are making good progress’ – even though they are already eight points adrift of the top four and facing possible early elimination from the Champions League.

Erik ten Hag is under pressure after United’s dismal start to the season continued with defeat in the Manchester derby

United were soundly beaten 3-0 by City and have now lost five of their opening 10 games

Chief executive Richard Arnold reportedly believes United are ‘making good progress’

Arnold’s claim was widely criticised by fans on X, formerly known as Twitter.

One wrote: ‘What progress? The club is a joke to them obviously.’

Another added: ‘If I was doing a bad job and wanted to justify my poor work, I’d be saying this too.’

A third said: ‘This club is laughable’, while another supporter said: ‘Which Manchester United, does he watch the games?’

Arnold, who was at Old Trafford for the Manchester derby, is reportedly expected to leave his position if Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.4bn minority stake offer is approved.

Ten Hag, who is under contract until 2025, is also coming under increasing pressure amid United’s woeful start to the campaign.

His decision to substitute £72million striker Rasmus Hojlund in the 73rd minute of Sunday’s game at Old Trafford was loudly booed by fans inside the ground, while supporters also questioned his team selection after Raphael Varane and Sergio Reguilon were both left on the bench.

Ten Hag later said he had opted to start Victor Lindelof at left back and Jonny Evans next to Harry Maguire for tactical reasons. 

United have also lacked any discernible style and identity on the pitch this season, although they have had to contend with injuries to a significant number of first-team stars. 

United fans were quick to question Arnold’s ‘progress’ claim on X, formerly known as Twitter

And Ten Hag has raised eyebrows with his insistence that it is impossible to make United play like his successful Ajax team.

‘We will never play the football we played at Ajax here,’ he told ViaPlay after the defeat. ‘I now have other players, that’s not why I came here.

‘The player material you have determines how you will play. That’s why we play here in a different way than I did at Ajax. That will have to be the case, because I can’t play the same way here. 

‘That is not in the DNA of Manchester United at all. The football at Ajax is very typical, here we will play much more directly. We also have the players for that, especially at the forefront.’ 

Ten Hag’s decision to substitute striker Rasmus Hojlund against City was loudly booed by fans

Ten Hag has spent close to £400m on new players since his arrival at Old Trafford but two of his big-name signings – Mason Mount, who cost £60m, and £82m winger Antony – did not even feature in the starting XI for the derby.

The Dutchman’s post-match comments have also attracted the ire of disgruntled fans.

He told Sky Sports: ‘First half, we played very well. The game plan went on how we wanted. We defended very good. They almost didn’t create – one big save from Andre in that start. We had two or three breaks, we had to take benefit from it.

‘We have to take more from it, but the penalty is changing the game. I don’t have a comment on it. I don’t have a comment.’

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