Will winning the FA Cup be enough to save Erik ten Hag?

For Sir Alex Ferguson, FA Cup glory was the springboard for success. Other Manchester United managers found winning the competition signalled their demise.

Tommy Docherty was sacked when lifting the Cup was considered no defence for having an affair with the wife of his club physio. Ron Atkinson lost his job the year after Wembley glory because he was no closer to ending United's long wait to be champions.

Most alarmingly for Erik ten Hag, compatriot Louis van Gaal learned his fate just minutes after his United team beat Crystal Palace in 2016. His 'crime' had been to fail to qualify for the Champions League - something that will haunt his fellow Dutchman, whose side are 13 points behind fourth-place Aston Villa.

Publicly, Ten Hag insists he'll be at Old Trafford next season, just as Van Gaal had done up to the point he was replaced by Jose Mourinho. But in the build-up to facing Coventry City in Sunday's semi-final, Ten Hag unwittingly outlined why his future is in such jeopardy.

'I know why I am here. To bring trophies, also to create economic value,' he said.

With United now seventh, new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be reflecting how expensive missing out on the Champions League is. In the modern world, a great day out at Wembley doesn't alter that, even if it leads to silverware.

Ten Hag is aware his friend Van Gaal remains the last United boss to win the FA Cup. Last season was successful, with the Carabao Cup and third place, but a chronic injury list has sent United into reverse. All senior defenders bar Diogo Dalot have missed chunks of the season, most notably Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw.

'The critics don't concern me. What concerns me is only having a full squad to choose from once in 18 months,' retorts Ten