'They have got to' - Paul Scholes responds to Erik ten Hag sack question after latest Man Utd collapse

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes believes Erik ten Hag is not under intense pressure despite defeat in Denmark on Wednesday night. The Red Devils were defeated 4-3 by Copenhagen in the Champions League despite leading twice.

United had a two-goal lead until Marcus Rashford was sent off in the first half, and the home side rallied back to 2-2. Harry Maguire won a penalty that Bruno Fernandes scored after the break, but Copenhagen came alive again, and Lukas Lerager and Roony Bardghji punished 10-Man United with two goals in the space of three minutes leading up to the 87th minute to take all three points.

The Red Devils are now bottom of their Champions League group and a point behind both Copenhagen and Galatasaray, while they still have to play the latter and Bayern Munich. Meanwhile, United's poor start to the Premier League season has been well documented, leading to speculation that Ten Hag could be sacked.

But United legend turned TNT Sports pundit Scholes does not sense that a sacking is imminent, saying after Wednesday night's defeat: "I still don't feel like there is that much pressure on him. I think he had a good year. He has bought a little bit of time in that respect. But nine defeats in 17 games is not good enough. I know managers have been sacked in the second and third year, but I don't think we can afford to do it anymore.

"I think we have to keep going with him. He's done well up to this point, and I know it hasn't gone...he has been quite unlucky tonight, you have to say with the sending off. They are going to play better teams than Copenhagen, but I did think they showed a bit of fight toinight. They just lack a bit of leadership, and maybe if a Casemiro had been in there.

"It's alright conceding a goal, it happens away in Europe and it's where you say 'right, we stay here, we have 10 men and we will sit on the edge of our box'. You saw Spurs do that, and this was the opposite - you can't do that.

"They lacked discipline, they lacked concentration. Tiredness does affect your concentration, and you saw Dalot's lack of concentration and the next goal was a mistake. It's what is hurting them at the moment, and once they concede one, it feels like another one is coming, they have got to stop that. You can't win games if that's going to happen every week."

Scholes also spoke about the situation before the game, saying: "It has become a graveyard for managers, especially in that second season. You think of the manager before that struggled in that second season and we all felt like last season they were getting back somewhere.

"I think he adjusted well last season. This season he started trying to play out and play beautiful football like he did at Ajax, but he quickly realised that these players were not good enough at it.

"He went a bit more direct, relied on counter-attacks and relied on players scoring goals. He has lost that from Marcus Rashford because he’s in a bad vein of form, and this season he’s finding it difficult to find balance in the team.

"He brought Mason Mount, he started the season as a starting holding midfield player, but the balance of the team is all wrong. They seem to be too wide open in the middle of the pitch, and I don’t see anything that will fix that at this moment in time."