A pundit advises Manchester United to dismiss Erik Ten Hag and recruit a formidable figure from the Premier League.

Manchester United is advised to dismiss Erik Ten Hag and appoint Roberto De Zerbi, according to former Aston Villa and Liverpool striker Stan Collymore. Collymore believes Ten Hag isn’t the right candidate to lead the Red Devils, despite the Dutchman securing the Carabao Cup in his inaugural season.

Sitting at eighth in the Premier League and facing potential elimination from the Champions League group stage, United, already out of the Carabao Cup, is going through a rough patch.

With a fixture against Luton Town next for Ten Hag’s struggling team, the pressure on the United manager could intensify. A failure to defeat Rob Edwards’ team, who are battling relegation, might prompt serious inquiries about Ten Hag’s position at Old Trafford.

Regardless of the outcome at Old Trafford this Saturday, Collymore believes that United should sever ties with the ex-Ajax manager.

In an exclusive interview, Collymore expressed, “Erik Ten Hag isn’t suited for the demands of leading Manchester United. Observing Ten Hag on the sidelines doesn’t inspire confidence in me. On the contrary, he appears quite the opposite – seeming overwhelmed, particularly when United face setbacks.”

“I understand the club prefers not to dismiss managers mid-season, but in my opinion, he needs to be replaced. If the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe decide to retain Ten Hag for now, that’s fine, but by the season’s end, they should make every effort to recruit Roberto De Zerbi from Brighton and Hove Albion.”

Explaining why he supports De Zerbi as the ideal successor to Ten Hag at Manchester United, Collymore believes the Italian is a superior man-manager and coach.

“De Zerbi should step in and clear out the underperforming players. He’s assertive and won’t tolerate any nonsense,” he continued. “Not only that, he’s likely to extract the best from their struggling squad. He has the ability to shape a team to play in the ‘Manchester United style’, and if he were in charge at United and faced a defeat in a press conference, he would clearly communicate to the players that their performance was unsatisfactory. No excuses – if De Zerbi demands improvement, they must improve or face consequences.

“For me, it’s straightforward – Ten Hag should be let go, and if Manchester United genuinely aims for a change in coaching philosophy and a strong managerial presence, then De Zerbi is the right choice.”

As for my personal agreement with Collymore or De Zerbi’s potential at Manchester United, it’s hard to say definitively without observing how his coaching approach and management style align with the club’s needs and long-term goals.