Manchester United have confirmed the departure of former Ajax boss after two-and-a-half year stint

"I thought it was coming. Looking at that Tottenham game a few weeks ago I felt I had seen this before. It was a bad day for Manchester United and a bad day for Erik ten Hag," he said.

"It's got worse form then, yesterday the missed chances were unacceptable, they should have been two or three up at half-time.

"Overall, the challenges of the results and performances have meant that the owners have decided to sack him. I don't think anybody will be truly shocked.

"I suspect the Tottenham game was probably a catalyst for them to start thinking about a new manager.

"You look at who is available then you try to think of the timing. You are half hoping the manager can turn it around but 99 times out of 100, the tide is against you and continues to do so.

"They have chosen a moment that was decided a few weeks ago. That has come yesterday.

"They would have started the process of finding Erik ten Hag's successor.

"I think the lack of identity and style is something that has been a mystery for the last two-and-a-half seasons.

"The recruitment has been awful at times but I believe there are a group of players who can play better than they are.

"Lack of style has been the biggest problem. It is a real struggle watching them play and it hasn't changed in the last 18-months. That has been as bad as the results.

"No-one watches United and doesn't think the players are better than what they are showing. They are better than 14th and probably better than sixth."

Neville admitted Ten Hag was "asking for trouble" prior to confirmation that his time as the club's manager has come to an end.

United slipped to their fourth Premier League defeat of the season on Sunday at West Ham and sit in the bottom half of the table.

They have won only one of their last eight games in all competitions, with the pressure mounting on Ten Hag finally reaching breaking point.

The timing of the decision in intriguing after United chiefs opted to stand by Ten Hag and hand him a contract extension last summer, yet Neville hinted the Dutchman was heading for the exit door after Sunday's 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

"He's asking for trouble Erik ten Hag. He's 14th in the league, nine games in. That's 25 per cent of the season gone," Neville told Sky Sports, speaking prior to the announcement of Ten Hag's exit.

"I always think that anybody that's half-decent, that can play, will beat this United team.

"I think it's getting to that point now where there is a real worry. It's getting to that point where it'll become unbearable.

"Just purely the position in the league, they are 14th. Manchester United, I mean, it's Manchester United. He can't be 14th in the league. He can be after one or two games, maybe, but not after nine, not after 10."

Neville suggested Ten Hag may get until next Sunday's game against Chelsea, yet he admitted the players recruited during Ten Hag's time at the helm have failed.

"These are the players that have been recruited over the last couple of seasons mainly. It's a sobering time," he added.