Erik ten Hag is “certain” he can turn around Manchester United’s fortunes in spite of the team’s dismal start to the season and growing rumours about his future.

With talk about his position growing, Erik ten Hag thinks “it’s only a matter of time” until he turns around Manchester United’s fortunes.

The Red Devils suffered their eighth loss in 14 games this season in all competitions when they fell to Manchester City in another derby last weekend. In a letter to the supporters before of the club’s Carabao Cup match against Newcastle United on Wednesday, the Dutch manager of the squad has stated that he is “certain” of a better future.

WHAT THEY SAID: “At Manchester United, every game involves high stakes,” Ten Hag wrote in the United Review. “Every single day, there is pressure on everybody involved with this club, but those demands and standards are a challenge which we must always meet head-on. While this has not been the start to the season that we had all hoped for, I am certain that we have the talent and attitude as a collective to move in the right direction. I believe that it is only a matter of time before we are showing our true selves. It will come, I am certain. I continue to believe in these players and am confident we will improve after a difficult start to the season.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: While senior players such as captain Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford have faced flak for failing to rise to the occasion, Ten Hag has come under scrutiny for his questionable team selection. It has been suggested that the Dutchman could face the sack if results don’t improve quickly, but he is confident that the players are all still pulling in the same direction.

“I continue to believe in these players and am confident we will improve after a difficult start to the season,” he said. “Nobody at this club enjoys defeat, particularly in a Manchester derby like last Sunday, but everything we have achieved together so far has been built on looking forward, which means we have to move on quickly from what happens, whether it is positive or negative. There is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves at this moment in time. We have never spent too long enjoying our victories, so we will not spend too much time thinking about our losses. We must always look forward, together.”

IN TWO PHOTOS:

NEXT MATCH

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WHAT NEXT? Ten Hag will urge his players to draw inspiration from their Carabao Cup final win in February when they host Newcastle in midweek, before their attention turns to a Premier League clash against Fulham on November 4.