Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is at risk of an unwanted Red Devils first in Saturday's Premier League clash with Southampton, which history suggests could cost him his job.
The Dutchman was surprisingly given a stay of execution by Sir Jim Ratcliffe over the summer, as the Red Devils ended a challenging 2023-24 season with a shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
That Wembley triumph marked Ten Hag's second piece of silverware in two seasons at the helm, although he also oversaw Man United's worst-ever Premier League season, as well as their group-stage exit from the Champions League.
The former Ajax head coach is yet to truly repay INEOS' faith in him, though, as after a narrow 1-0 win over Fulham on the opening weekend of the 2024-25 season, Man United have were beaten in their last two contests before the international break.
A 2-1 defeat away to Brighton & Hove Albion preceded a 3-0 home hammering at the hands of old foes Liverpool, although a more winnable fixture arrives on Saturday lunchtime against the newly-promoted Saints.
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Sir Alex Ferguson stat shows Ten Hag could be doomed
However, should Ten Hag's troops come out second best at St Mary's, it will mark the first time in the Premier League era that Man United have lost three of their opening four games in a single season.
The Red Devils have not endured such a woeful start to the campaign since the 1986-87 First Division, where they were beaten by Arsenal, West Ham United and Charlton Athletic in their first three games of the campaign and won just three of their first 13 overall.
Within just a couple of months of that season starting, the Man United hierarchy sacked Ron Atkinson and hired Sir Alex Ferguson, who steadied the ship and led the Red Devils to an 11th-placed finish at the start of his glittering tenure.
History therefore suggests that Ten Hag's position could be in serious jeopardy if Man United suffer a shock loss to Russell Martin's men on Saturday lunchtime, which would also mark the first time since December 2015 that they have been beaten in three straight Premier League games.
Louis van Gaal was in the Man United hotseat that year before also leaving at the end of the season, and current Saints boss Martin was coincidentally part of the Norwich City team that beat the Red Devils 2-1 during that sequence.
Ten Hag reveals INEOS warning ahead of Southampton clash
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During his pre-game press conference on Thursday, Ten Hag revealed that he is under pressure to win from the INEOS regime, but he insisted that such a warning should be viewed in a positive light.
"In football you have to win, you have to deliver, that's clear. It's good that the new leadership acknowledge this and says this. We are working together to be more successful and we have higher targets than we've already achieved," Ten Hag said.
Man United's recent record against Southampton makes for positive reading for the travelling fans, though, as the Red Devils are unbeaten in 14 games against the Saints since a 1-0 home loss in January 2016.
In terms of team news, Ten Hag confirmed that Manuel Ugarte is in line to make his debut for the Red Devils in the early kickoff, as he delivered a triple availability update to the media on Thursday afternoon.
The former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder will be bidding to displace Casemiro after the Brazilian's horror show against Liverpool, and Ten Hag also dropped a major hint about his future at the Theatre of Dreams.
Ben Knapton
