Erik ten Hag fired by Bayer Leverkusen after losing two key players to Liverpool

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Erik ten Hag has been dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen after merely two league fixtures.

The German team brought in the former Manchester United boss to replace Xabi Alonso, the Liverpool legend who moved to Real Madrid in the summer, prior to the current campaign.

A club statement confirmed: "Bayer 04 Leverkusen have parted ways with head coach Erik ten Hag.

This was decided by the shareholders' committee, the club's supervisory body, on the recommendation of the management of Bayer 04.

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Florian Wirtz left Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer

"We firmly believe in the quality of our team and will now do everything we can to take the next steps in our development with a new setup."

Leverkusen suffered defeat in its opening match, losing 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim despite establishing an early advantage through Jarell Quansah's strike.

Saturday saw Leverkusen surrender a commanding 3-1 advantage away to 10-man Werder Bremen, settling for a 3-3 stalemate that left them wallowing in the division's lower reaches.

Following Saturday's setback, he shared with Sky: "The players aren't ready.

"We have a new team, and some of the players aren't at all fit enough to play.

"The team didn't function at all during the final stage of the game

That's just the way it is.

"They need to bring more intensity and get fitter in order to meet my standards."

As well as losing manager Alonso, Leverkusen lost two key players to Liverpool this summer: Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz.

Quansah, meanwhile, moved in the opposite direction.