 "Why Erik ten Hag's exit is the best thing for Manchester United this season")
After two and a half seasons in charge of the club, Erik ten Hag parted ways with Manchester United following what has been a torrid start for the Red Devils this season. Currently sitting in 14th position in the league table, this is Manchester United’s worst-ever start in the Premier League era, making the Dutchman’s exit inevitable.
The new ownership has made several such decisions since its arrival this season in a bid to bring the club back to the standards set during the Sir Alex Ferguson era. While most pundits and fans believe it was best for Ten Hag to be let go, there could be consequences of this departure for the club, especially with no genuine replacement currently available.
Man United managers after Sir Alex Ferguson retired -
| Man United managers after Sir Alex Ferguson | |
| David Moyes | 2014 |
| Louis Van Gaal | 2014-2016 |
| Jose Mourinho | 2016-2018 |
| Ole Gunnar | Solskjaer 2018-2021 |
| Ralf Rangnick | 2021-2022 |
| Erik ten Hag | 2022-2024 |
United's signings under Erik ten Hag
Erik ten Hag received financial backing from both the old and new ownership, with the club investing around 615 million pounds since the Dutch manager arrived in 2022. While the signings have shown mixed performances, most players were either Dutch or had previously played under Erik at Ajax. The likes of Matthijs De Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez, Antony, and Joshua Zirkzee, among others, were all either Dutch or former Ajax players under Ten Hag.
The next manager may not settle for the same players, which would mean additional investment by the club to meet the new manager’s preferences.
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No fixed style of play
Manchester United under Erik ten Hag often faced criticism for lacking a definitive style of play. Most results were driven by individual brilliance or occasional moments of good play.
| Manchester United under Erik ten Hag (Premier League) | |
| Matches | 85 |
| Wins | 44 |
| Draws | 14 |
| Losses | 27 |
| Goals For | 123 |
| Goals Against | 112 |
This scenario could go either way for Ten Hag’s successor, as it might be easier to implement a new style with the players, though it may also lead to slow improvements, potentially adding pressure from fans and the media.
No replacements in the market
Manchester United will need patience with their new recruitment as no prominent names are available currently. With Thomas Tuchel taking up the England job and Hansi Flick at Barcelona, there are few available candidates who could handle the pressure at Old Trafford.
While Ruud van Nistelrooy has managerial experience at PSV in the Dutch league, he will hope for a successful stint as interim manager and potentially a permanent role if he delivers consistent results.
Apart from the point mentioned above, there were signs that the sacking was inevitable because of certain moments that took place during his tenure.
Humiliating performances
A club of Manchester United’s stature should have standards set in terms of attacking and defending against any opponent. However, Erik ten Hag’s side often appeared directionless in significant matches, leading to humiliating losses. It began with a 6-3 defeat against Manchester City, followed by a record 7-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.
Other disappointing results like the 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace last season and 3-0 defeats by Liverpool and Tottenham at Old Trafford in the 2024-25 season had left United supporters in despair. Without Erik ten Hag, it will be interesting to see how the team performs against the top six sides under interim manager and former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.
European failures
Finishing bottom of their group in the UEFA Champions League last season against teams like Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen, United struggled even against lower-ranked teams due to some last-moment defensive errors.
Ego clashes with players hurting Manchester United
Erik ten Hag’s tenure included clashes with players, which, although sometimes justified, often hurt the club. The most notable clash involved five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the pitch prematurely at Old Trafford and later gave an unfiltered interview, criticising the manager and staff.
"Yes. Not only the coach, but the other two or three guys around the club. I felt betrayed. Some people don't want me here not only this year, but last year too." Ronaldo said before leaving.
"I don't know what's going on. Since Sir Alex Ferguson left I have seen not evolution in the club. The progress was zero. I don't have respect for him (Ten Hag) because he doesn't show respect for me. If you don't have respect for me, I'm never gonna have respect for you." he added.
Ronaldo eventually left the club on a sour note, much to fans’ dissatisfaction. Similarly, Ten Hag had a fallout with Jadon Sancho, leaving him out of matchday squads following a disciplinary issue. Sancho moved to Chelsea on loan in the summer transfer window, creating another gap to fill for the next manager. United’s long-serving goalkeeper David de Gea also left, replaced by Andrey Onana, another former Ajax player under Ten Hag.
Strong finishes to the season
Despite the turmoil, Erik ten Hag did manage to break Manchester United’s trophy drought, winning the Carabao Cup in his first season and clinching the FA Cup against Manchester City at Wembley last season.
Ending seasons with silverware became a hallmark for Ten Hag, who assured fans this season of more achievements. Two trophies in two years might seem impressive but felt overshadowed by poor results and ongoing controversies.
Man United Premier League finishes over the years -
| Manchester United Premier League finishes | ||||||
| Season | Matches | Won | Draw | Lost | Pts | Finish |
| 2000–01 | 38 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 79 | 1st |
| 2001–02 | 38 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 87 | 3rd |
| 2002–03 | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 74 | 1st |
| 2003–04 | 38 | 23 | 6 | 9 | 64 | 3rd |
| 2004–05 | 38 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 58 | 3rd |
| 2005–06 | 38 | 25 | 8 | 5 | 72 | 2nd |
| 2006–07 | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 83 | 1st |
| 2007–08 | 38 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 80 | 1st |
| 2008–09 | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 68 | 1st |
| 2009–10 | 38 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 86 | 2nd |
| 2010–11 | 38 | 23 | 11 | 4 | 78 | 1st |
| 2011–12 | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 89 | 2nd |
| 2012–13 | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 86 | 1st |
| 2013–14 | 38 | 19 | 7 | 12 | 64 | 7th |
| 2014–15 | 38 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 62 | 4th |
| 2015–16 | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 49 | 5th |
| 2016–17 | 38 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 54 | 6th |
| 2017–18 | 38 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 68 | 2nd |
| 2018–19 | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 65 | 6th |
| 2019–20 | 38 | 18 | 12 | 8 | 66 | 3rd |
| 2020–21 | 38 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 73 | 2nd |
| 2021–22 | 38 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 57 | 6th |
| 2022–23 | 38 | 23 | 6 | 9 | 58 | 3rd |
| 2023–24 | 38 | 18 | 6 | 14 | 57 | 8th |
Difficult season ahead for Manchester United
With Manchester United sitting in 14th position after 9 games, the Red Devils will have a difficult task of qualifiying for the European places this season as well and could see no European football next season. United managed to rescue a European spot by winning the FA Cup last year and is playing the Europa League this year despite finishing 8th in the league last season.
In order to play European football, they would have to atleast finish on 7th place which will see them play in the UEFA Conference League. 5th and 6th place will play Europa League while the top 4 will get the UCL spots.
Whether the decision to part ways with Erik ten Hag was right or wrong will become clearer as the season progresses, but the departure will undoubtedly impact Manchester United, both positively and negatively. With football being a result-driven business, few managers are left who can succeed under the intense pressure at Manchester United.