Manchester United and Arsenal, as much as fans won’t like to admit it, have a lot in common.
Looking back at the 2021-2022 season, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was under pressure after a poor start to the season and fans were losing patience with the Spaniard who had been in charge since late 2019.
Well, looking at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag, the similarities are stark and you wonder if this too could be the Red Devils’ sliding doors moment like it was for the former Everton midfielder at the Gunners.
This could be a chance for the much-maligned Glazer family to stick to their guns on a decision, sticking with the former Ajax boss is the right thing to do but things need to improve.
Buy-in from players
The United manager, similar to that of Pep Guardiola, is a very stringent and strict manager who requires complete buy-in from the players he manages.
The only problem is that Guardiola had the backing of the owners and any player who was unhappy at the club or not part of his plans he could remove, the same cannot be said at United.
The club seemingly have players on the wage bill whom Ten Hag is keen to remove but this is easier said than done.
These players Ten Hag wants to remove are on such overinflated wages that make it nearly impossible for them to be moved on with no club wlling to pay these wages for a player United don’t want.
How Ten Hag can stop the slide
According to The Athletic, John Murtough, United’s sporting director, is firmly aligned with Ten Hag’s thinking and, after the fiasco of Ralf Rangnick, is keen to back the Dutchman all the way.
For Ten Hag, things are not yet as bad as they were for Arteta. At the start of the 2021-2022 season, Arsenal were near the bottom of the table after their terrible start of the season which included just one win from their first four games.
United have lost four games so far in the Premier League but the similarities are stark, but things are not as bad for the Dutchman, yet.
This, therefore, should allow Ten Hag the time and the backing to make more of the decisions he wants to make. If the 53-year-old is to arrest the alarming slump in form, he needs to do one thing, make the changes he wants to make.
The problem with United handing out such overinflated wages is the precedent this sets and the expectation that these players will play, no matter what.
Ten Hag will obviously have his ideal 11 in mind but if there are certain individuals who are well paid and not performing to the required level then they need benching.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho’s public fallout with Ten Hag shows the authority the 53-year-old has and shows he isn’t afraid to make big decisions.
Well, if the Dutchman wants to hang on to the good faith amongst the United faithful from last season, then these big decisions need to be made again.
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