Manchester United will not sack Erik ten Hag before this month's FA Cup final despite Monday night's humiliating defeat at Crystal Palace ramping up the pressure on the manager. The 4-0 defeat leaves United scrambling to qualify for Europe next season and led to former players - including Michael Owen and Paul Scholes - calling for him to be axed immediately. But Mail Sport understands there are no plans to fire Ten Hag before United take on Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25. The belief is that nothing will be gained by removing Ten Hag with four games - three Premier League and the FA Cup final - still to be played before the end of the campaign. Although this may offer Ten Hag belief he can continue for a third season in charge if United beat City at Wembley, the final decision will be taken after that match. No decision on Erik ten Hag's Manchester United future will be made before the FA Cup final United were outclassed at Selhurst Park to leave their chances of making Europe in jeopardy A number of players are believed to think Ten Hag's fate has effectively already been sealed following a poor season. Read More Man United must sack Erik ten Hag and put 'best coach ever' Steve McClaren in caretaker charge, Paul Scholes and Michael Owen suggest, as they claim Dutchman has frozen his No 2 out It means Ten Hag will be in the dug-out for Sunday's visit of title-chasers Arsenal, the home match with in-form Newcastle United next week and the final day trip to Brighton. United are in a contest with Newcastle and Chelsea to qualify for either the Europa League or the Europa Conference League. They can also make the Europa League if they beat City in the FA Cup final but will go into the contest as firm underdogs. Ex-United midfielder Scholes said that Monday's crushing defeat at Selhurst Park felt like the 'final nail in the coffin' for Ten Hag and that the Dutchman is on 'borrowed time' at Old Trafford. He told Premier League Productions: 'Tonight almost felt like a final nail in the coffin. There was a lack of knowhow in the team, a lack of effort, going to a team like Crystal Palace, who to be fair are a good team and are doing well, but Manchester United shouldn't be going there and losing 4-0. 'I felt for a while he (Ten Hag) might get another year and work for a club that has calmed down a little by the new owners but it doesn't feel like that now. United have won just one out of their last seven Premier League games during a poor run Paul Scholes and Michael Owen believe Erik ten Hag (left) should be sacked and replaced until the end of the season by Steve McLaren (right) 'I thought who is out there to replace him? With Thomas Tuchel saying he's leaving Bayern Munich, I don't think that creates a bigger problem for him (Ten Hag) as the problems are there anyway, I think it's quite plain to see that he's on borrowed time. Read More Erik ten Hag is losing his grip on the Man United job as this team disintegrates around him, writes MATT BARLOW after shambolic 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace 'Sometimes you get those moments where you think this is the end. I remember Ole Gunnar (Solskjaer) at Watford away, 4-1, it felt very similar to me, it felt like the end.' Scholes admitted that he couldn't see where United will get a win from their final three league fixtures, while Owen said they will be 'annihilated' by Manchester City, Arsenal will 'smash them to bits' and that he doesn't fancy them against Newcastle or Brighton. Owen, a former United striker, called for immediate change and agreed with Scholes' response that former England manager and current assistant at Old Trafford, McLaren, should take on a caretaker manager role until the end of the season. Scholes previously worked with McLaren at Manchester United when he was assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson, while Owen played under him for the Three Lions. McLaren is perhaps best remembered for his time as England manager, and the picture of him standing under an umbrella, as he watched his side lose to Croatia at Wembley, which meant the Three Lions failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and led to him being sacked. However, Owen and Scholes believe that that McLaren is not to blame for United's struggles this season, and feel that he has been frozen out by Ten Hag. Both Owen (left) and Scholes said McLaren is the best coach they ever worked with as players and feel that he is not 'touching' the current United team despite being assistant to Ten Hag McLaren is famously remembered for standing under his umbrella as his England side lost to Croatia at Wembley in 2007 and failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship Owen said: 'There is no way his fingerprints are anywhere near that team. He is a brilliant coach and that team is not being coached at all.' Scholes added: 'He's not touching that team. The manager must not be letting him touch that team because everyone thinks we were a great team that attacked everybody (Manchester United) but Steve McLaren put sessions on to make sure we stopped other teams, getting the distances and angles right.' Both players then went on to say that McLaren is the best coach that they worked under during their respective playing careers. Owen added: 'There is no way that he has anything to do with coaching that team, it's impossible because that team is absolutely clueless right the way through it. 'There is not one thing that I think 'that works' in that team. Steve McLaren is a top operator and I can only think that other people are coaching the team and he's a bystander. Ten Hag on the touchline during what was another painful performance by his United side 'They will get smashed out of the ballpark by every team they still have to play, playing like that today. Manchester City are going to demoralise them at Wembley in front of millions of people it's embarrassing. 'Something has got to change. I think it's got to change now there are too many big games. This could decide European football next season, this is a trophy.' Scholes went on to hit out at Ten Hag more by suggesting the club doesn't have many 'bad players' and the fault lies on the manager. He said: 'There's not actually that many bad players at United is there? It looks like they're not being coached, when it looks like being the manager's fault. It looks like the fight has gone out of them.'
