Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is going to face more questions over his future, but he plans to fight on. But we cannot have too many more performances like this.
The pressure is on. If you think a defeat to Newcastle was bad, what could be repercussions be for a loss in Denmark last week?
That could have a devastating impact for Manchester United’s chances of Champions League group stage qualification, and place Erik ten Hag‘s job under major pressure.
After winning silverware in his first season, he won’t be repeating the Carabao Cup success, losing 3-0 to Newcastle at Old Trafford last night.
Erik ten Hag job is a talking point
Like it or not, Erik ten Hag’s future as Manchester United is a real talking point.
We expect Manchester United to stick by him. Sacking him will cost money, and there won’t be much available funds for a new manager, yet.
What helps Ten Hag is that there is not a clear cut candidate out there. For a spell of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign, Mauricio Pochettino was available, which really piled the pressure on when he was going through a bad run in late 2020.
Where would United go from here if Ten Hag’s job became untenable? That is a huge question, one nobody can clearly answer.
But one man who believes he has a steer is former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop, who believes United must think holistically, rather than towards the name.
Manchester United next manager discussion
Speaking to ESPN FC in a segment after Manchester United’s defeat to Newcastle about Erik ten Hag’s future, Shaka Hislop pointed to two current Premier League managers as examples of what the Red Devils need to look towards, while not specifically recommending them.
Hislop explained: “Who next, you are [typically] looking for a manager who has won silverware, a manager who brings a ready-made reputation. I think the appointments of Postecoglou, who did really well up in Scotland, and De Zerbi shows that it’s a whole lot more than that.
“It’s about the right fit. My point being, it cannot be, Manchester United cannot just think ‘whos won something and who can I bring in’.
“Everything about United’s recruitment and across the board suggests that it’s just been that one-dimensional.
“That’s where you end up with a manager that cannot change things when things go poorly and players who don’t know what to do in terms of digging themselves out of a whole they have played a big part in digging.”
Manchester United have tried various approaches in the post-Fergie era, from a long-term strategy, to quick fixes, proven winners, interim bosses, former United players, and none of it has clicked. Last season we really did think we had found the right man. Perhaps we still have.
And sure, Ange Postecoglou and Roberto de Zerbi have started well at Tottenham and Brighton, but neither have completed a full season, let alone gone into a second season. At Manchester United everything is magnified, and quite who the ‘right fit’ is for this club, is totally unclear at this stage.
Erik ten Hag just needs to show us, and everybody, that he can lift these underperforming players, otherwise he will go the way of his predecessors and end up paying with his job.
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