Manchester United have found what has been missing since Jose Mourinho left

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Erik ten Hag spoke up to criticise the way Cristiano Ronaldo left the club’s pre-season friendly early against Rayo Vallecano.

Ten Hag, speaking to Viaplay, branded the actions ‘unacceptable’. Ronaldo was not the only one, but he was the most high profile.

The manager had to say something. If he let this slide now, he would have been making a rod for his own back. Every player must be held to the same high standards, no matter who they are.

Ten Hag has an authority about him, and if last season taught us anything, it is that this dressing room must be put in it’s place, and the players made to respect the manager.

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Authority lacking since Jose Mourinho left

Ten Hag has made quite an impression over the opening weeks. If he said nothing about the Ronaldo situation, his good work would have been undermined.

But he didn’t have to do it. Last season Ronaldo flew back to Portugal 24 hours before the Manchester derby, and Ralf Rangnick brushed it under the carpet.

Not since Jose Mourinho left, have Manchester United had a manager able to flex his authority in the same way Erik ten Hag has just done.

Mourinho arguably did so too much. Eventually he upset the dressing room to the point where the players no longer bought into what he was asking of them, contributing to his downfall.

So there’s a balance. Ten Hag can be trusted to get it right, he did so at Ajax, with his firm but very fair approach.

Mourinho’s replacement Ole Gunnar Solskjaer went too far the other way. While he may have criticised his players behind closed doors, and probably did, in the media, he never called out his players publicly. The over-indulgence of his players eventually led to splits and accusations of favouritism towards certain individuals.

When Ralf Rangnick replaced him, he never stood a chance. The German called out Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard over various issues, and then saw both players hit back at him on Instagram. As interim boss, he was given no authority by the club, and the players knew it. His assistant Chris Armas this week hit out at the ‘leak culture’ which undermined his time at the club.

Ten Hag arrives as a big reputation, a winner in the Netherlands, who has managed big players and reached the Champions League semi-finals.

He is being given backing from the club, and the players know if they get on his wrong side, there will be a price to be paid. It’s similar to Sir Alex Ferguson, who oversaw everything at Old Trafford down to the small details.

In late 2018, Manchester United eventually sided with the players over Jose Mourinho. The test of time has shown that to be a mistake, given that the same players have since let subsequent bosses down. Ten Hag will get the time and support he needs. By commanding respect of the players, he will keep the respect of his superiors too.