Erik ten Hag is still alive as Manchester United manager.
Manchester United’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last week was horrific. It was a game where the faith in Erik ten Hag seemed to drain from the fanbase.
The media picked up on this. Immediately attention turned to United’s next two matches, away to Porto and then Aston Villa.
Two losses and he must be sacked, right?
Erik ten Hag’s players stood up and ensured the speculation over what might happen after two defeats was a moot point.
Erik ten Hag’s players are still fighting
As Erik ten Hag stepped out onto the turf at Villa Park, the home supporters were predictably jeering and taunting him as the cameras focused on him.
The manager was set up for a very public execution, a televised game with the narrative spin that his job was on the line, and could be sacked immediately after a defeat.
Aston Villa were riding high after a victory over Bayern Munich, with in-form striker Jhon Duran on hand, ready to play the role of executioner.
Erik ten Hag’s players are still fighting for him. This was evident against Porto in midweek with an injury-time equaliser, and by a dogged 0-0 draw with Aston Villa.
The same problems still persist. Manchester United can’t score goals or dominate teams.
But this was not the kind of performance Ole Gunnar Solskjaer oversaw away at Watford when the team capitulated to a 4-1 loss, which accelerated his end.
Ten Hag may yet get to that point – but his players stood up and said ‘not today’.
Jonny Evans steps up
Erik ten Hag’s bold managerial call against Aston Villa was to select veteran star Jonny Evans for his first Premier League start to the season.
It was a reaction to Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt’s poor efforts in midweek against Porto, with Harry Maguire also coming in, prior to suffering an injury.
Evans was terrific, selected as Sky’s man of the match. The 36-year-old was alert, sharp, and solid as he shielded United’s goal and produced a defensive masterclass.
The proudest man in the stands would have been Sir Alex Ferguson, who was sat with the Ineos contingent, watching one of his former soldiers step up to defend the badge.
Evans made his Manchester United debut way back in 2007. After he was sold by Louis van Gaal, Erik ten Hag brought him back to the club in 2023 on a free transfer.
The veteran centre-back is still a force to be reckoned with, and led Manchester United into the cauldron at Villa Park, as the team rallied around the manager.
Erik ten Hag’s future is still subject of debate, and logic may suggest that the international break is a smart time to make a change if Ineos really wanted to. But the result will not accelerate those plans.
United’s players are still fighting, and Evans embodied that spirit better than anybody.
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