Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney back Erik ten Hag to manage Manchester United next season

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag deserves to keep his job for the start of next season despite a dismal run of form.

That is according to Roy Keane and Wayne Rooney, as the club legends offered their backing for the Dutchman ahead of a vital summer at Old Trafford.

New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to oversee a shake-up on and off the pitch with United failing to regularly challenge for trophies since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure over a decade ago.

Reports suggest Ten Hag could be sacked after winning just one of his last eight Premier League games, a run which has seen the Red Devils drop out of the European qualification places amid a sizeable injury crisis.

“I personally hope they do give him time because there are a lot of problems at the club,” Rooney said on Sky Sports.

“Recruitment is massive and it hasn’t been good enough so I do think he gets time to do it right.

“But we’ve seen it before, we won the cup final in 2016 and Louis van Gaal lost his job so you never know.”

Keane added: “I hope he’s given more time.”

United are set to wait until after their season finishes at Wembley with the FA Cup final against Manchester City later this month before deciding whether to stick with Ten Hag, who has a year left on his contract.

On Sunday, an improved performance at home to league leaders Arsenal was not enough to prevent them from falling to a 1-0 defeat.