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Rob Dawson, Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, California — Erik ten Hag has challenged Manchester United‘s new owners to “prove” they back him by sticking with him during difficult periods next season.
Ten Hag has kept his job despite finishing eighth in the Premier League last season and the club’s new leadership team — led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford — sounding out potential replacements.
The Dutchman has had his contract extended by another year, but there is a feeling among some supporters his position remains precarious, particularly if United do not start the season well.
Ten Hag, though, said Ratcliffe and Brailsford can only prove they support him by retaining their faith during good runs of form and bad.
“I feel that we are building something and that the people around me, we are in the same boat,” Ten Hag said in an extensive interview in Los Angeles on the club’s preseason tour.
“But of course it’s always a proven point when the case is this. What I hope is that we avoid this [a dip in form].”
Ten Hag is building a team around a core of young players including Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund.
United’s biggest signing so far this summer is 18-year-old defender Leny Yoro and Ten Hag said the owners will need to have patience.
“With young players it will go with ups and downs and we have to realise that,” he said.
“Everyone has to realise this in this club internally but also you [the media] should realise this externally. It’s normal that it will not only go this way [up] with young people, young players especially.”
Meanwhile, Ten Hag has also revealed that Tyrell Malacia is expected to be out for another two months. The left-back hasn’t played for more than a year because of a knee injury and was left out of the squad for the tour.
“He is not that far, but he is now in a progress situation,” Ten Hag said.
“At a relatively short notice, he can again return into team training and then into team performance in games. I think it would be possible in two months.”