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Manchester United have appointed Ajax coach Erik ten Hag as their next manager, BBC reported.

The Dutchman, 52, will take over from interim boss Ralf Rangnick at the end of this season on a three-year deal which can be extended by a year.

Rangnick, who replaced the sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in November, is set to move into a consultancy role.

Ten Hag will become United's fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

"It is a great honour to be appointed manager of Manchester United and I am hugely excited by the challenge ahead," said Ten Hag. 

"I know the history of this great club and the passion of the fans, and I am absolutely determined to develop a team capable of delivering the success they deserve."

United are sixth in the Premier League with five games remaining this season, three points behind Tottenham, who occupy the fourth Champions League spot, according to BBC.

Ajax are top of the Dutch Eredivisie - four points clear of PSV Eindhoven - with five matches left, although they lost to their rivals in the Dutch Cup final.

Ten Hag, who took over as Ajax head coach since December 2017, led them to the league and cup double in 2018-19 and 2020-21.

They reached the semi-finals of the 2018-19 Champions League and were within a minute of making the final, only to be denied by a remarkable Tottenham comeback.

United's choice had narrowed to Ten Hag and Paris St-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino, after Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui had also been spoken to about the role.

Ten Hag is expected to bring in a former United coach or player as part of his backroom team, given it is unlikely the remaining link to the Solskjaer era, Mike Phelan, will remain at the club, BBC reported.

Ten Hag joined Ajax after two and a half years at Utrecht, having previously coached Bayern Munich's second team, where he worked with Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

Solskjaer was sacked following a 4-1 defeat at Watford that left United seventh in the table.

Since Rangnick officially took charge on 3 December, United have a record of nine wins, six draws and four defeats in 19 league games.

They were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid and lost to Championship side Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round.

After Tuesday's 4-0 league defeat by Liverpool, Rangnick said United might need as many as 10 new players this summer.

Ten Hag wants ex-England coach and Ferguson's former assistant Steve McClaren to work with him.

McClaren worked with Ten Hag at FC Twente and it is understood Ten Hag feels he can provide invaluable insight into the workings of United and English football in general.

On Wednesday it was announced that chief scout Jim Lawlor and head of global scouting Marcel Bout had United, according to BBC.

United won 38 trophies during Ferguson's 26-year reign at Old Trafford, including 13 league titles, two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups and four League Cups.

However, since his departure United have won only the FA Cup under Louis van Gaal, the League Cup, Europa League and Community Shield under Jose Mourinho, and the Charity Shield under David Moyes.

Moyes, originally earmarked as Ferguson's long-term successor and given a six-year contract, was sacked in his first season in charge, BBC reported.

It’s still advantage Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

Three second-half goals earned City a 3-0 win over Brighton on Wednesday, lifting Pep Guardiola’s team back into first place after being ousted — only for 24 hours as it turned out — by title rival Liverpool, Associated Press reported.

Anxiety was sweeping around Etihad Stadium, with the groans becoming more audible as City’s players struggled to make their dominance count in the early stages of the second half.

The home fans needn’t have worried. Riyad Mahrez broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute in slightly fortuitous circumstances, with his shot ricocheting off Brighton defender Joel Veltman and over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

Another deflection, this time off Phil Foden’s long-range shot, made it 2-0 in the 65th and Bernardo Silva added a third in the 82nd after City picked off the visitors as they tried to play the ball out from the back.

City can retain its title by winning its remaining six games, the next being against relegation-threatened Watford at home on Saturday. Liverpool, which is one point behind, hosts Everton the following day.

“We know what we have to do,” Guardiola said. “If we drop two points, Liverpool will be champions.”

It didn’t escape the meticulous Guardiola that the victory assured City a top-four finish and a place in the Champions League next season. That was a given, though, according to the Associated Press.

There were also a couple of injuries that might prove telling for City with the important fixtures coming thick and fast in the final weeks, including a pair of games against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.

Both were in defense, with Nathan Ake going off with a twisted ankle — to be replaced by Ruben Dias for his first appearance in seven weeks after injury — and John Stones also coming off with muscle tightness, Associated Press reported.

Delhi Capitals beat Punjab Kings by nine wickets in the Indian Premier League here on Wednesday, The Indian Express reported. 

Punjab were all out for 115 after being put in to bat. Jitesh Sharma top scored for Punjab with 32 off 23 balls. Delhi spinners enjoyed their time in the middle with Kuldeep Yadav, Lalit Yaav and Axar Patel taking two wickets each.

Delhi raced to victory in 10.3 overs after Prithvi Shaw (41 off 20 balls) and David Warner (60 not out off 30 balls) shared 83 runs for the opening wicket, according to The Indian Express.

The game was in doubt with Delhi reporting sixth COVID case in their camp but the BCCI decided to go ahead with after players returning negative tests following two rounds of testing in the morning.

Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Lucknow Super Giants by 18 runs in their Indian Premier League match here on Tuesday, The Indian Express reported.

Sent into bat, Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 181 for six with skipper Faf du Plessis making a brilliant 96 off 64 balls, an innings that contained 11 fours and two sixes.

In reply, LSG were stopped at 163 for eight, according to The Indian Express.