Slot expects to see sacked Ten Hag back at 'a big club'

Liverpool boss Arne Slot insisted on Tuesday that Erik ten Hag will be back at "a big club again", despite being sacked by Manchester United.

Ten Hag's two-year tenure as United manager ended on Monday, with the fallen English giant sitting a lowly 14th in the table following last weekend's 2-1 loss away to West Ham — Ten Hag's final game in charge.

Slot's side had piled the pressure on his fellow Dutchman with a 3-0 win at Old Trafford in September.

But, despite the bitter rivalry between Liverpool and United, the Reds boss — in his first season in the Anfield hot seat after succeeding Jurgen Klopp — was sympathetic when asked to comment about Ten Hag during a news conference on Tuesday ahead of Liverpool's League Cup tie away to Brighton.

"He's a Dutch manager which makes it even harder for me," said Slot. "Thoughts are with him. We are all in this job, so we know it can happen.

"I know him a little bit, and I know how much work he puts into it. For him, it is, of course, a pity. But, we also know how well he did at Ajax, and that he won two trophies (the League Cup and FA Cup) over here.

"I think we'll see him at a big club again."

Ten Hag helped United deny Premier League champion Manchester City a domestic double with a shock FA Cup final win over its crosstown rival at Wembley in May.

"I feel very sorry for him, it's one of the best jobs in football," said City manager Pep Guardiola of Ten Hag. "There's only us, it's not teachers or architects or something like that.

"I wish him all the best, and (I'm sure) he will come back stronger. If the results aren't good enough, you get sacked. No one is different, myself included."

AFP