Man Utd 0-3 Liverpool: Erik ten Hag will be given until Christmas to turn his team's form around, says Gary Neville

Gary Neville believes Erik ten Hag will stay as Manchester United manager until Christmas at least despite a "sobering" 3-0 defeat to Liverpool which added to the club's woes.

Luis Diaz struck twice in the first half before Mohamed Salah - who set the former up for both of his goals - added a third and the scoreline could have been a lot worse.

United have lost two out of their opening three Premier League matches and currently sit in the bottom half of the table - and Neville believes Ten Hag cannot afford to be in a similar position come the end of the year.

"Some clubs want the international break, some clubs don't. I think Manchester United need it. They need to regroup. They're only three games in!" said Neville, on co-commentary duty at Old Trafford.

"Maybe get [Manuel] Ugarte, [Rasmus] Hojlund back. Pick a team, a system, a way of playing and go for it. It's going to be a challenging week or so for Ten Hag just to get around the fact that there will be some pressure building.

"But I think he will get until Christmas. There's no doubt about that. There's no doubt that INEOS and Dan Ashworth the chief executive, who has got a sense of calm about him - the [former Manchester] City chief executive [Omar Berrada] and Sir Dave Brailsford and those people, are not just going to do something stupid.

"Within three or four months, they have made the decision to keep him. They will get four or five months. What they can't be is mid-table come Christmas, but he is going to get a few months, there's no doubt about that."

After the game, Neville added: "Liverpool fully deserved their victory, it was a sobering day for Erik Ten Hag, his players and for the new ownership sat in the stand en masse, looking at it and thinking whether they're on the right path. That's the question they have to ask in the next few months."

Neville and Carra's reactions to Liverpool goals

 

 

Carragher and Neville react as Mohamed Salah scores Liverpool's third goal at Old Trafford

'Man Utd fans don't normally boo - but they did here'

Old Trafford was an arena of frustration for most of the second half, with boos ringing out just after Liverpool's third goal. It started when Arne Slot's side started scoring, with Casemiro - at fault for both of Diaz's strikes - facing criticism from the United faithful.

The home fans also booed Marcus Rashford when he checked back inside instead of taking on Ibrahima Konate in a one-on-one, while Ten Hag's decision to take off Alejandro Garnacho for Amad Diallo was also jeered.

"Manchester United fans don't often boo," said Neville. "They don't often boo the manager, they don't often boo substitutions, they don't often boo players individually. And there's been a couple of times today [where they have].

"They will boo, generally, a performance at half-time when the players are going off if they're losing 2-0.

"But ordinarily they don't take out individuals and a couple of times today they have. Casemiro in the first half and then obviously referring to Rashford with that boo."

'Rashford is hard to watch - it's sad'

Neville also said "it is getting hard for Manchester United fans to watch" Rashford in his current form after another disappointing display.

Rashford failed to have a shot against Liverpool and had just four touches in the opposition penalty area - half the amount that substitute Amad managed, even though he came on in the 69th minute.

The England international did, however, create two chances against Slot's Reds - the same amount as the rest of United's starters combined.

"He had a one-on-one with Konate and you might not be having a great day, you might not be having a great time - but you've still got to go for it and take the one-on-one on," said Neville.

"And he just turned back. That just tells you where his head at.

"I'd like to think [he can get back to his best]. It's been going on for 14 months. He scored 30 goals the season before last. I'd like to think he can get his confidence back. It's looking like a struggle for him. The game doesn't look enjoyable right now. And that's sad.

"As it is for seeing Casemiro in the first half, it's sad watching that kid because he has been a joy for Manchester United at times in his career. But it's getting hard work for him. And it's getting hard for Manchester United fans to watch him."