Can Ten Hag survive October with Manchester United?

Manchester United limps into October on the back of one of the worst moments for Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford. A 3-0 loss at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur sank the club to 12th in the league table. Through six games, United is on seven points with two wins, one draw, and three convincing losses.

Captain Bruno Fernandes picked up a red card in the first half, but it made little difference to the result. The Red Devils were poor with 11 men just as they were with a numerical disadvantage.

Gone are the days of “lads, it’s Spurs,” the saying made famous by Sir Alex Ferguson. Now, it’s United themselves that teams expect to beat at Old Trafford. For over a decade, home defeats have become a sad pattern for the club. Despite the modest score-line, a more in-form side than Spurs could have inflicted a much heavier goal tally. This loss fits the same trend as previous embarrassments under Ten Hag, like Liverpool (7-0), Brentford (4-0), and Manchester City (6-3 and 3-0).

Another underwhelming start to the season

United’s only wins this season have come against Fulham, Southampton and Barnsley. It is early doors but United sit just 4 points away from the relegation zone. As October approaches, it’s hard to see where more points will come from.

Sunday’s defeat felt eerily similar to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s 4-1 loss to Watford in 2021, which ultimately led to his dismissal. The deflated crowd at Old Trafford is no longer surprised by such performances.

The start of this season came with a reason for optimism. The new board of management, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, had precariously decided to keep Ten Hag on as manager. In hindsight, it feels like an impulsive decision based on United’s surprise FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

There was a whiff of caution about this decision over the summer. The club only triggered a one-year extension in the Dutchman’s contract. The deal keeps him at the club until 2026.

Despite…

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Author : Abdullah Mamaniyat

Publish date : 2024-09-30 17:01:54

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