Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe hinted he can't guarantee manager Erik ten Hag's future at Old Trafford while admitting the club is not "where it should be".
Ten Hag's job was the subject of speculation for much of last season en route to the team's lowest Premier League finish - eighth. After an FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and an end-of-season review, Ten Hag landed a new contract that extended his stay at Old Trafford until 2026.
However, this season has got off to a terrible start with United languishing at 13th in the Premier League table, having lost three of their six opening games. They were headed towards defeat by Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before Harry Maguire scored a last-gasp goal to salvage a 3-3 draw.
Speaking ahead of United's crucial Premier League trip to Aston Villa on Sunday, Ratcliffe refused to speculate about Ten Hag's future while stating a decision on the manager was not his to make.
"I don't want to answer that question," Ratcliffe told the BBC. "I like Erik. I think he's a very good coach but at the end of the day it's not my call, it's the management team that's running Manchester United that have to decide how we best run the team in many different respects.
"That team that's running Manchester United has only been together since June or July. They weren't there in January, February, March or April. Omar (Berrada, CEO), (Sporting Director) Dan Ashworth, they only arrived in July.
"They've only been there... you can count it in weeks almost. They've not been there a long time so they need to take stock and make some sensible decisions."
"Our objective is very clear, we want to take Manchester United back to where it should be, and it's not there yet, obviously, that's very clear," Ratcliffe added.
The 71-year-old's assessment of United's woes is hardly encouraging for Ten Hag under whom United seem to be in a freefall.
They suffered a dismal 3-0 home defeat against Tottenham last weekend and barely held on in their 3-3 draw at Porto in the Europa League.
United's struggles have added more pressure on Ten Hag, who somehow survived a woeful eighth-place finish last season after Ratcliffe and his advisors conducted an internal review.
Ratcliffe reportedly spoke to former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel about the United job during the review before opting to keep faith with Ten Hag, who had masterminded a surprise FA Cup final win over City.
Earlier, Ten Hag pleaded for patience with his struggling squad with United on seven points after six games, their worst start since 1986-87.
They face a fifth-placed Villa side who are enjoying their best start since 2008-09 and are coming off a 1-0 Champions League win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
"We are in there together, the ownership, leadership team, the staff," Ten Hag said on Friday.
"I appointed new staff. We bought new young players, and we have to integrate them, like Manuel Ugarte," he added.
"I know in top football, usually you don't get time. They have to perform immediately, but that's not always realistic. He has to get used to our game model, to his teammates, to the intensity of the Premier League. It needs time."
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Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
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Kamindu Mendis bio
Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis
Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
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Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
