'I worry for Erik ten Hag' - Jaap Stam gives verdict on Manchester United manager amid poor results

Man United have endured a difficult season and Erik ten Hag has been forced to operate under growing pressure.

Manchester United great Jaap Stam has admitted he's worried for Erik ten Hag following a disappointing few months at the club.

Ten Hag enjoyed an excellent first year at Old Trafford, but the wheels have fallen off in the new season and United crashed out of European competition after losing 1-0 against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

United were defeated 3-0 by Bournemouth in their most recent outing in the Premier League and Ten Hag is under pressure.

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To make matters worse, a trip to Anfield to play fierce rivals Liverpool, who are currently top of the league, comes next and United have lost 7-0 and 4-0 on their previous two visits to Merseyside.

United have regressed this season and Stam, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast which is produced by Sky Bet, questioned the team's lack of identity and admitted he's concerned for Ten Hag.

“He [Ten Hag] has got to be worried and thinking about what’s going to happen now because you can ban players. But it’s also about man management of course and how to work with and handle players," Stam said.

“There was the [Cristiano] Ronaldo thing, the [Jadon] Sancho thing, Raphael Varane probably – I don’t know if something’s happened over there. There’s the thing with the press now and banning journalists from press conferences.

"It doesn’t work in your favour as a manager. You need to have peace and quiet… you don’t want to pay too much attention to other things like players and the press. You need to fully focus, and I don’t think you want to talk about players or what players think about you as a manager. I worry a little bit for him and that’s why it would be good if he gets the results.

“The first season, Ten Hag did very well in terms of getting a trophy, [into a] final and a Champions League spot. Not about his way of playing, even in the first season, because it’s more from transition.

“It’s not what we know Ten Hag wants to play. Possession-based, a lot of movement, going forwards, dominating in the opposition’s half. They [Manchester United] haven’t done that.

“First season [was good]. Second season, is he going to make progress with that team? You’re hoping that by getting players in, [he’ll] make progress in his way of playing, still hopefully getting the results, but at least see more of his style of play in what he’s been doing in Holland and in the Champions League with Ajax.”

Stam was asked why Ten Hag can't stamp his style on the team and he continued: “That’s a difficult one. I have respect for what he did in Holland and what he did last year at Manchester United.

"I think he’s a good coach and I’m wondering this myself and we even asked him for Via Play, when are we going to see this style of play we saw at Ajax?

“He made a certain comment and he mentioned that he could never play the way he played at Ajax over here. I’m surprised because I’ve seen [Roberto] de Zerbi and Tottenham [with Postecoglou] and how they’re playing.

“It has to do with your players as well, but he [Ten Hag] invested a lot of money in players that he brought. But are they the right players? My opinion is that they’re not.”