Man Utd sent clear Erik ten Hag sack message as Matthijs de Ligt calls for a change

Matthijs de Ligt has sent an indirect message to the hierarchy amid uncertainty about status as manager. De Ligt reunited with Ten Hag at in the summer and appears to have made it clear that he would prefer to continue working with the Dutchman.

He is no stranger to experiencing a coaching change across his spells at Ajax, and , and could enforce the latest as early as next week.

Ten Hag is under severe pressure, having overseen just three wins in United's opening 10 matches of the season after a largely woeful second campaign.

A poor result in Sunday's trip to Aston Villa could prove fatal, with patience among the fanbase on the brink of collapse.

United bosses are scheduled to meet in London less than 48 hours after the Premier League clash at Villa Park, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer among the planned attendees.

But De Ligt has publicly suggested that he would prefer the club to stick with Ten Hag so he can enjoy a longer-term relationship with one of his coaches.

"To be fair, it's quite funny because in my career, I've never had a trainer for longer than one and a half seasons," De Ligt told .

"So this is something that I hope I can have now, that I have a trainer or a manager who stays longer with me as a player so you can grow more together also."

De Ligt has featured more under Ten Hag than any other manager in his career, being selected 78 times at Ajax and United.

The next highest totals belong to Thomas Tuchel and Massimiliano Allegri, but at just 42, it's easy to see why the 25-year-old is seeking stability.

United would likely prefer to retain faith in Ten Hag after concluding a search for a worthy replacement in the summer by extending his contract by one year until 2026.

Ratcliffe also sanctioned around £200million in transfers to bolster the Dutchman's squad, including the £43m deal for De Ligt.

However, a failure to win at Villa could leave United as many as nine points adrift of the top four and closer to rock-bottom than the Champions League spots.

A fourth defeat in seven league games could make Ten Hag's position untenable and leave De Ligt temporarily coach-less again.

The centre-back's status may also be in doubt after a dismal showing at Porto on Thursday, with last-gasp hero Harry Maguire knocking on the door.