Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
It’s groundhog day at this point, but Manchester United are in crisis, with Sunday’s 3-0 home loss to Tottenham the latest disaster for manager Erik ten Hag.
What does he need to fix immediately to prevent his seemingly inevitable sacking?
The short answer would be everything, but let’s dive into some of the many issues in the Dutchman’s side.
A terrible second season, which saw United finish eighth in the Premier League, nearly cost ten Hag his job, and he was likely only saved by a FA Cup final win and a lack of an ideal replacement. With INEOS now in charge of football operations at the club, a big improvement was needed this season, and quickly, but it just feels like a continuation.
Starting with United’s out of play set up and system, the team appears fully out of sync, particularly when up against better sides with an identity – Liverpool and Spurs running through almost at will is testament to that.
The press is disjointed, and not a team-wide one, which has led to the familiar sight of an opposition side in an ocean of space in midfield and running at United’s defence, who are oddly being told to sit deep. Manuel Ugarte will not fix that issue, like Casemiro, Sofyan Amrabat and others could not last season.
With the ball, United don’t seem to have any true, or at least consistent, patterns of play, with moments of magic appearing to be their best chance of a goal. That’s a risky game, and not helped when Bruno Fernandes is off form.
Marcus Rashford’s form has also been a topic of discussion, but he, and the other wide men, are playing far too close to the touchline. It doesn’t make much sense with Joshua Zirkzee being a forward who thrives on link-up play, and having other players close to him.
It’s led to United scoring just five times in the league so far this season – only winless Southampton have scored less. This is not a new issue, with United failing to score 60 goals in either of ten Hag’s first two league seasons, and being 10th in the goal charts since his 2022 arrival.
The home form, which was so good in ten Hag’s first season, has completely fallen apart, and United’s struggles on the road have been a theme of his entire tenure.
So, with the pressure mounting, it is far from ideal that United’s next two games are away to Porto and Aston Villa, particularly with Fernandes suspended for the latter, and Kobbie Mainoo likely to miss both through injury.
With an international break ominously looming, ten Hag needs to come up with a major quick-fix in the next five days to ensure he is still employed at Old Trafford in two weeks’ time.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Can ten Hag save his job or should Manchester United make another managerial change?
