'I'm sure' - Erik ten Hag sends final Man United plea to Sir Jim Ratcliffe ahead of final day

Under pressure Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has said that he’s ‘sure’ that better times will return to Old Trafford if the club sticks together.

What has been a disappointing Premier League season for the Red Devils comes to an end on Sunday afternoon. United travel to the south coast to take on Brighton and Hove Albion in the final game with qualifying for Europe still a possibility.

United currently sit in eighth place in the table, level on points with Newcastle in seventh and three points behind Chelsea in sixth. If they don’t manage to finish in a European position, United still do have the chance to qualify by winning the FA Cup when they take on Man City at Wembley.

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Performances and results this season have led to growing pressure on manager Ten Hag. There has been uncertainty over his future since the takeover of the club by Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Managers including Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate have been heavily linked with the job. But Ten Hag seems to be fighting for his job, in his pre-match programme notes on Wednesday night, the Dutchman pointed to Arsenal as an example of sticking with a process, and he seems to have sent the same message ahead of the game vs Brighton.

"We invested a lot, the fans and the team, in difficult moments,” he told the club’s official website. “Stay with each other and you have good times, and I’m sure the good times will come.

“We’re building up, the fans see this and they recognise this and, of course, they count on us. We have to pay them back.”

If that message will be heard by Ratlciffe and the decision-makers at Old Trafford is still to be seen. Uncertainty over the manager’s future is likely to remain until a decision is made one way or the other