United lost for the second time in nine days as they were thrashed 3-0 at home by fierce rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
Ten Hag’s side had started the season with a 1-0 with over Fulham before losing 2-1 at Brighton.
The Dutchman was widely expected to lose his job at the end of last season – United’s worst ever Premier League campaign in terms of final position (8th) and goal difference (-1) – but he was saved after beating Man City in the FA Cup final.
However, Neville fears that club owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who was pictured with his head in his hands on Sunday – could soon run out of patience.
‘Every manager that comes to this club has struggled,’ former United captain Neville said during his post-game analysis for Sky Sports.
‘And there is a feeling today of, are we going to go through the same thing again? But I think it’s a time for a bit of calm, it’s an international break, which is probably well needed for United.
‘But Erik ten Hag is going to have to get the club into a position sort of challenging the Champions League towards Christmas, or else he’s going to be in trouble.
‘He knows that. You know, he’s been influenced to change his team, his staff. In the summer, he’s brought two new coaches in, that is not always ideal as well. So there’s new messaging coming in, even though he’s been here for two years. There’s new technical directors, CEOs. There is a lot of change at the club.
‘There are a lot of staff that have been here a long time that are leaving as well. So look, there was going to be some pain along the way of actually, if you like, interfering with the Glazer ownership. We’re seeing that pain right here today.
‘It’s not going to change quickly. It’s a sobering day for United, but one that I think just requires some calm, because we want to change of ownership, and we’ve got that, and we’ve got that, and there is some things happening, and we have to let it settle in embedding.’
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