It’s been quite a year for Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
Coming into 2023, Erik ten Hag was the king of Old Trafford, he retained the adulation of the Manchester United crowd and was about to record a memorable 2-1 victory over Manchester City.
As well as this, the Dutchman would record a memorable two-legged victory over Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona as well as winning the Carabao Cup against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium.
Going into 2024, however, the former Ajax boss seems to have lost that adulation and unquestioned support following 12 defeats in all competitions and elimination from the Champions League at the group stage.
Here is the Dutchman’s year in review.
First half of successes
As mentioned, the first six months of 2023 could not have gone much better for United and indeed Ten Hag. United won a trophy, secured Champions League football and reached an FA Cup final.
They were doing all this whilst playing exciting, expansive football and were also doing this without Lisandro Martinez who suffered an injury in the Europa League draw against Sevilla.
The Dutchman issued a rallying cry before the FA Cup final against City but the Red Devils lost 2-1 at Wembley but could have won the game if they had taken their chances.
Beating Chelsea 4-0 may well be another highlight but suffering a 7-0 thumping to an underperforming Liverpool side understandably hurt.
In the off-season, the Dutchman was backed to the hilt with the transfer targets but it’s fair to say these transfers led to the downfall of the club and the manager that took place during the second half of the calendar year.
Second half downfall
As mentioned, the transfers that the Dutchman targeted unlike in 2022, when the signings made helped the club to a top-four finish, may well have played a big part in the club’s downfall.
The £55 million signing of Mason Mount, who is currently out injured, has been a disastrous one as the former Chelsea midfielder is yet to find the back of the net for the Red Devils.
Andre Onana was brought in to replace David De Gea and there is an argument to be made that he may well be the most impressive signing so far.
Despite this, the Cameroon international cost the Red Devils progression into the knockout stages of the Champions League after his errors against Galatasaray, in particular.
Rasmus Hojlund remains goalless in the Premier League but has five goals to his name in Europe. Sergio Regulion and Sofyan Amrabat have also just been average for the Red Devils.
Jonny Evans has been a good stop-gap but it’s a sad indictment of United’s struggles in the market that the 35-year-old, brought in on a free transfer, has been the club’s most important purchase.
Ten Hag has to shoulder the responsibility for these decisions and, unlike last season, the football he plays does not suit the squad he has built at all.
Goals have been hard to come by and the Red Devils have been exposed in midfield countless times. The gradual introduction of Kobbie Mainoo may well be the big positive for the Dutchman this season.
The numbers do not lie. 12 defeats in all competitions this season has equalled the number of defeats from the entirety of last season.
If he carries on with this poor record, expect another manager to be at the helm come the end of 2024.
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