Ten Hag says Premier League relegation is possible for United

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Premier League relegation is possible for the club, which is 17th after nine matches and level with the relegation zone on goal difference. Ten Hag made the assessment in comments to ESPN, citing the strength of teams and managers in the league. He said a club that enters a damaging losing cycle can find it very difficult to recover. His remarks describe a risk, not a prediction that United will be relegated. United have one Premier League win from nine games. Their position follows a 2-0 defeat by Chelsea, which left them without a victory in nine consecutive matches, according to reports. The club’s current league standing puts it above the relegation places only on goal difference. The Chelsea loss was United’s fourth defeat in five league matches, according to one account. In the run-up to that game, they had also lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth and 4-1 to Como in the Champions League. United’s nine-match winless spell was described as its longest since 1984. Michael Carrick remains in charge after the club’s board chose to keep him for the Chelsea match. The defeat has added pressure on the manager, but the central...