Manchester United’s celebrations after defeating Manchester City and winning the English FA Cup were tempered by reports that manager Erik ten Hag would be fired, regardless of the outcome. Ten Hag pointed to his trophy-winning resume when asked about the situation after Sunday’s victory, highlighting his impressive record in the final.

The player expressed his desire to continue winning trophies, stating that if his current team doesn’t want him, he would go anywhere else to do so. He acknowledged the progress his team has made, citing their League Cup victory last year as a positive example. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with their current performance.

Manchester United has been contacted about reports that Dutchman Ten Hag’s future with the club is uncertain. Ten Hag has been at the club for nearly two years and presided over the club’s worst Premier League season, resulting in an eighth-place finish, outside European football qualification.

United’s erratic performance, culminating in a 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace, has heightened pressure on Ten Hag and heightened the club’s crisis. Ten Hag blames an injury crisis for inconsistency, while new investment from British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has sparked increased demand for improvement.

Before the FA Cup final, United’s pessimism predicted a loss to City, but teenage stars Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo scored in the first half to secure a 2-1 victory over the Premier League-winning team, overcoming a sense of inevitability that United had previously experienced.

Ten Hag stated that he is in a project to construct a team, a change from the mess at Man Utd when he took over. He acknowledged that there is still much work to be done but stated that the squad has value and high-potential players who are progressing well.

Ten Hag’s trophy-winning performance may not be enough to save United, as the club has a history of sacking managers immediately after winning the FA Cup, as seen with Louis van Gaal in 2016. Despite this, Ten Hag has not brought stability or success to the club.