Dan Ashworth's abrupt Manchester United exit has just proven Gary Neville prediction wrong

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Gary Neville had hoped that Dan Ashworth's appointment at Manchester United could provide a boost after his arrival in July - in a bid to bring the good times back.

However, after just five months in position, the 53-year-old has departed as sporting director by mutual consent. He departs Old Trafford with United languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table as concerns grow on and off the pitch at the Theatre of Dreams.

Neville has previously lauded Ashworth and had hoped the ex-Newcastle United chief could provide the stability needed at Old Trafford and beyond - in order to try and re-establish United among England and Europe's elite. READ MORE: I saw Dan Ashwor th get escorted out of Old Trafford after leaving Manchester United READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe promised to stop Manchester United chaos - but nothing has changed But since then, that prediction has been proved wrong - with United spending around £200million in the transfer market, sacking Erik ten Hag and Ashworth lasting less than half-a-year.

The club's key decision-makers now face another crucial task on their hands. Speaking in July, ex-United defender Neville said: "The reason they gave him [Erik ten Hag] another contract was to give him strength." Neville, 49, continued: "He had a year left and the idea was that this ticking clock you'll be asking questions of the club every 10 minutes, if he had six months left as you move towards Christmas. "He'll have to perform, I don't think it gets him off the hook this new contract but what I'm hopeful of is that all the appointments around Erik ten Hag, a new CEO and particularly Dan Ashworth who brings composure and deserves a mention, in respect of the performances of this England team in