Man Utd owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's plans emerge as Erik ten Hag faces threat of being fired

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to attend Manchester United 's face-off with Aston Villa this Sunday, amidst growing speculation about Erik ten Hag's future.

The current United manager is fighting to keep his position following a disappointing start to the new season. The Red Devils are presently 13th in the Premier League, having secured only two victories in their first six league matches.

Despite being granted a contract extension over the summer, Ten Hag has been under increasing scrutiny , especially after their crushing 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham last weekend and Thursday night's thrilling Europa League draw with FC Porto.

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The former Ajax boss finds himself on shaky ground as he prepares for Sunday's crucial match against the Villans, who are still riding high from their Champions League victory over Bayern Munich.

Ratcliffe will be present at Villa Park for what could be a pivotal game for Ten Hag, particularly with the international break just around the corner.

Ratcliffe will ultimately dictate whether to dismiss Ten Hag, though he would collaborate with Sir Dave Brailsford and Joel Glazer on such a move. They'll take insights from Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth for any major decisions.

Despite Ratcliffe being spotted at the latest match, rumors linger that Ten Hag's position hangs in the balance with United's upcoming games.

United's loss to Tottenham signifies back-to-back home Premier League defeats without netting a goal, a first since Solskjaer's tenure ended in 2021.

Nevertheless, Ten Hag has held a strong front when facing scrutiny over his job security. Post-Tottenham defeat, he voiced confidence in his role, stating: "No, I'm not thinking about this.

"We are all on one page or in one boat together - the ownership, the staff, the players as well. So I don't have that concern [being fired].

"We all made togetherness in this decision to stay together, as an ownership and as a leadership group. In the summer we also made the decision, from a clear review, on what we have to improve and how we want to construct a squad. But we knew it would take some time."

Still, there are uncertainties about how much patience is left for him at the club.