Gary Neville insists Sir Jim Ratcliffe will already have made his mind up on ETH

Gary Neville has suggested that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will have already made his mind up on if he wants Erik ten Hag at the club next season.

United's good run of form came to an end on Saturday when they lost 2-1 to Fulham in the Premier League, leaving them sixth in the league table and eight points of the Champions League spots.

The club were hoping to have turned a corner when Ratcliffe's minority stake purchase went through last week, a deal that saw the British billionaire take over full control of the footballing side of the business.

It is still early days in his reign, but the 71-year-old will have plenty of big decisions to make regarding on-field issues and those tasked with bringing footballing success back to the Red Devils.

Speaking on Sky Sports, former United defender Neville put forward the idea that a decision regarding Ten Hag will already have been made, whether he delivers Champions League football next season or not.

'They're going to make a decision I think quite quickly if they've not already,' Neville began. 'I suspect that Jim Ratcliffe, Dave Brailsford, already know whether they're going to keep Ten Hag as manager next season.

'I can't believe they're going to wait until May to make that decision and then leave themselves short. Where Manchester United had been found out in the last 10 years in recruitment on and off the pitch is making poor decisions, late decisions, not being ahead of the game. I don't think they're going to do that.

'For me, I suspect that they probably come to a conclusion already. It may even be whether it's Champions League or not, they still will stick with that decision.

A number of big sides in Europe will be in the market for a manager this summer, with the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all set to swap coaches when the season is through.

Some top coaches will be in high demand, and Jamie Carragher, also speaking on Sky Sports, highlighted the need for United to act quickly if they are to start their own search.

'Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich all know they're in the market for a new manager,' Carragher said. 'And at this moment, they'll be speaking to agents, I'm sure to set up meetings with those targets as well.

'If Manchester United don't feel that Ten Hag is the man to take them forward, they're going to be left behind the longer they leave it.