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“The coach isn’t the central issue at Manchester United,” INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe said to Bloomberg after handing Erik ten Hag a new two-year contract in July. But as Britain’s richest man sat clutching his head in disbelief while watching United’s dismal 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool, you had to wonder if he still believes that statement.
That result ensured that Ten Hag is now the only United manager in history to lose two of the opening three games in a Premier League season twice. When it happened in 2022-23, the Dutchman was given the benefit of the doubt because he was adapting to a new life in England after leaving Ajax. But now, there is no excuse.
United are still going backwards under Ten Hag, despite investing another £206 million ($271m) in his transfer targets over the summer. Liverpool ruthlessly exposed the flaws in his set-up on Sunday, as they were better in every department, which should be cause for great concern, but Ten Hag still doesn’t appear to recognise the painfully obvious truth.
“We will catch up, we will go for trophies,” he told Sky Sports after the final whistle. That, though, is impossible if Ten Hag remains in charge until May. INEOS made a grave error of judgement in keeping the 54-year-old on, and United’s 2024-25 campaign could be completely unsalvageable before we enter the festive period if they don’t perform a very swift U-turn.
Casemiro the scapegoat
Casemiro was painted as the author of United’s downfall against Liverpool after a nightmare first-half showing. The Brazilian’s misplaced pass led to Luis Diaz’s 35th-minute opener, and he was also culpable for the Colombia winger’s second just seven minutes later, after being knocked off the ball too easily in his own half.
Ten Hag decided to hook Casemiro for 20-year-old Premier League debutant Toby Collyer at the break, so he didn’t get the chance to redeem himself. But he was certainly not the only one to blame for United’s shocking capitulation.
Bruno Fernandes was also guilty of giving up possession cheaply and shirked his defensive duties, while Joshua Zirkzee’s first touch consistently let him down as he wasted several good openings and clear chances. Marcus Rashford, meanwhile, once again did very little to justify his continued presence in Ten Hag’s preferred starting XI, often slowing United down on the transition by turning back inside instead of attacking his marker.
Even academy jewel Kobbie Mainoo had an afternoon to forget, compounded when he was bullied off the ball by Alexis Mac Allister in the build-up to Liverpool’s third goal, scored by United’s chief tormentor Mohamed Salah. But the result wasn’t primarily down to any individual performances, but rather the fact that Ten Hag is still making the same glaring tactical mistakes as last term.
No right to ask for more time
Ten Hag went on the defensive in his post-match press conference, rejecting the notion that his team has not made any progress from last season while calling for patience as he beds in the new signings. He also attempted to temper expectations around Ugarte after the Uruguayan’s £51m switch from Paris Saint-Germain, saying: “We have to build him into the team. It will take time, so it’s not like I’m Harry Potter. That is what you have to acknowledge. I am sure he will contribute to our level and he will be an important player but that will take a couple of weeks, maybe even months.”
“And it counts for more players,” he continued. “Joshua Zirkzee, he made big steps the last three or four weeks, I am very pleased with his performance today but I didn’t expect this four weeks ago. It was the first start of [Matthijs] De Ligt, first start of Zirkzee, also for Alejandro Garnacho this season. We will be fine, but it is clear we have to improve.”
Six of United’s starters against Liverpool were players brought to the club by Ten Hag. Andre Onana, Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez have all been at Old Trafford for two years, essentially making up three-quarters of the Red Devils’ spine. Ten Hag wasn’t starting from scratch in the summer window; he completed the rebuild he started in 2022 by adding Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui, De Ligt and Ugarte to his squad.
As such, he has no right to ask for more time. This is his team, and he alone is responsible for it’s continued failings. Let’s not forget he also arranged the £85m ($112m) deal for Antony, who now can’t even get in the starting XI, and the arrivals of injury-plagued duo Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount for a combined £135m ($177m).
Despite spending a fortune, United are further than ever from closing the gap on noisy neighbours Manchester City at the top of the table. And the longer Ten Hag remains at the helm, the deeper the hole his eventual successor will have to dig the club out of.
New leadership essential
Ratcliffe’s key hires Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox all joined him in the directors’ box to watch United’s latest horror show, and will have left Old Trafford knowing that there will be no quick fix. As the visiting fans gleefully chanted ‘Ten Hag’s at the wheel’ – harking back to the same song that was sung towards Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool in 2021 – Ratcliffe would be forgiven for wishing he could rewind the clock back to May.
It doesn’t matter how many ‘best in class’ figures he brings in behind the scenes; the INEOS revolution simply cannot take off with Ten Hag leading the squad. Ratcliffe allowed himself to get swept up in the euphoria of United’s shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City, and let Ten Hag off the hook for the club’s worst-ever Premier League finish.
Ratcliffe’s first instincts were correct, as a number of candidates were interviewed to replace Ten Hag, including former Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel. Mauricio Pochettino was available after leaving Chelsea, and United also shortlisted former first-team coach Kieran McKenna after seeing him guide Ipswich Town back to the Premier League.
Any one of those managers would have been better suited to the United hot seat than Ten Hag. Two of them are still looking for work now, but won’t be for much longer. It’s also likely that neither Tuchel or Pochettino would be attracted to the post if the Red Devils are out of the top-four race before the midway point of the season.
United’s best option, then, might be to hand the reins to Ten Hag’s assistant, Ruud van Nistelrooy, if only on an interim basis at first. As a club legend, he can command the respect of the dressing room in a way Ten Hag never has, and as one of the greatest goal-scorers the game has ever seen properly get to work on solving the team’s lack of penetration in the final third.
New leadership is essential for United to start moving forward. It’s been obvious for a long time that Ten Hag is out of his depth, and there is no sense in prolonging his stay to try and save face. Yes, INEOS would have to fork out a hefty compensation fee to axe Ten Hag, but it’s well worth it in the long run.
Main symbol of miserable tenure
Even factoring in all of Ten Hag’s missteps in the transfer market, there is one player who stands out as the main symbol of his miserable tenure so far. Rashford became something of a teacher’s pet after scoring 30 goals in Ten Hag’s first year, but has since regressed to the point of being a major hindrance.
After another ineffective display against Liverpool, Rashford has now gone 12 games in all competitions without scoring. He only has eight goals to his name across the last 18 months, and his contribution to general play varies from erratic to completely non-existent.
Boos rang around Old Trafford when Garnacho was subbed for Amad Diallo in the 69th minute on Sunday, but they were not directed at the Ivory Coast international. The Old Trafford faithful were venting their frustration over Rashford staying on, with the 26-year-old no longer enjoying the unconditional support offered to most academy graduates.
Rashford has lost the fans as a consequence of his dismal displays, poor body language and disciplinary problems. He wouldn’t still be on the books at any other top club, let alone playing every single week.
Amad doesn’t deserve to be behind Rashford in the pecking order, and Jadon Sancho should have been given a proper chance to stake his claim for that coveted left-wing role, instead of essentially being pushed into a move to Chelsea.
Ten Hag is blindly protecting Rashford in the hope he will suddenly rediscover that 2022-23 form, which is unforgivable. It also shows that he is far too reliant on individuals, and doesn’t have a Plan B when his favourites fail to deliver. Rashford is being paid £350,000 per week as Ten Hag facilitates what looks to be a permanent slump; how can INEOS sit back and allow that?
