Erik ten Hag is facing an anxious wait to learn his fate as Manchester United boss.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his new United executive leadership team are weighing up all of their options - having given Ten Hag no assurances he will remain in charge. United have three Premier League games left, before the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25 against Manchester City, a repeat of last season's meeting between the local rivals.
But United's 4-0 mauling at Crystal Palace has put more pressure on Ratcliffe and his team to take decisive action in a bid to salvage something from a shambolic season. Defeat at Palace has left United in eighth place in the Premier League and in real danger of missing out on a European place completely next season.
While the Champions League has gone, United's hopes of securing a place in the Europa League or the Europa Conference League are now in jeopardy. Newcastle and Chelsea have both overtaken United, with Ten Hag's side hosting Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday in a game they cannot afford to lose.
United need European football next season for the vital revenue streams it provides, as much as for the prestige on the pitch, so failure to secure a place is not an option. Against that backdrop, Ratcliffe and his team, including Sir Dave Brailsford, interim United CEO Jean-Claude Blanc and newly-appointed technical director Jason Wilcox, must reach a decision on Ten Hag.
Ratcliffe and his team have refused to publicly back Ten Hag and confirm he will remain in charge next season, which looks ominous for the 53-year-old, who has a year left on his £9million-a-year contract. There is also concern Ten Hag has lost the confidence of some of his squad, after he laid into them in the wake of the Palace loss, questioning their professionalism by saying "professionals shouldn't allow this".
Sacking Ten Hag and appointing an interim until the end of the season could provide United's players with the jolt they need to end the season on a high and seal a European place.
Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season, is among the favourites to take over from Ten Hag at United next season. Tuchel has seen his odds slashed from 12/1 to become the 5/2 favourite to succeed Ten Hag. England boss Gareth Southgate is also in the frame for the United job.
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