Erik ten Hag: Man Utd must learn from sackings of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer & Jose Mourinho

It’s already started; a downward spiral that ultimately overwhelmed David Moyes, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has begun again at Old Trafford.

This time it’s Erik ten Hag, who on Tuesday night faced the first question about his position as Manchester United manager. It’s unlikely to be the last this week, let alone in the weeks and months to come. His side were booed off after the 3-2 loss to Galatasaray, a result that makes the club’s chances of progressing into the next round of the Champions League seem highly unlikely.

It was another timid display from United which showcased so many of the recurring issues that have blighted the team this season. Individual errors from Andre Onana, Diogo Dalot, Sofyan Amrabat and Casemiro handed Galatasaray the lead and, as was the case against Crystal Palace, Bayern Munich and Brighton & Hove Albion, the confidence and belief visibly drained from the side at the first sign of trouble.

United had actually played well for long spells of the opening 70 minutes and should, at 2-1, have held on for a comfortable victory. But a lack of leadership and character again had unwanted repercussions for Ten Hag’s side, who have now lost six of 10 in all competitions this season.

Defensively, United were too easy to play through. One long ball set up Wilfried Zaha’s first-half strike, while a header from inside the Galatasaray half played Mauro Icardi in for a one-on-one chance that proved to be the winning goal. They were sandwiched either side of Kerem Akturkoglu’s first-time finish in the 71st minute, as the unmarked attacker managed to easily ghost between Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane.

Rio Ferdinand highlighted after the game that United’s defensive vulnerability is not purely the fault of the back four, with an unbalanced midfield ahead of it that is too reliant on an out-of-form Casemiro to provide protection. It’s an area that needs to be addressed immediately, as does United’s ability to press from the front, something which the forward players can only do for intermittent periods of matches, excluding Rasmus Hojlund, the only ray of sunshine to emerge from Tuesday’s dismal loss.

The list of fragilities seems endless, and at most Premier League sides the onus of blame would fall at the manager’s feet. Yet, as is so often the case with United, the usual rules don’t apply.

It’s worth remembering that Ten Hag has dealt with an almost unbelievable number of injuries so far this season - for the Bayern trip he was without 12 senior players, for example All three senior left-backs were missing on Tuesday, Amrabat has been unable to play in midfield since signing and Bruno Fernandes had to be deployed in the wide areas against Galatasaray.

This comes after a third transfer window in a row where Ten Hag was unable to sign the players he wanted in the market, while topping up the owners’ coffers remains the only real concern among the Old Trafford hierarchy. It’s a similar situation that met Mourinho and Solskjaer after second-place finishes in the last decade and there’s a cyclical nature at United that always ends with the manager departing.

That cannot be the case for Ten Hag, the Red Devils’ best appointment since Sir Alex Ferguson’s exit. In his first season, the Dutchman instilled a level of discipline, implemented a style of football fans appreciated, and turned Old Trafford back into a ground feared by visiting sides. Despite the background circus at United, Ten Hag secured a top-four finish and won a first piece of silverware in nearly six years. That cannot be overlooked, despite the horrendous start to the current campaign.

The United boss has undeniably made errors in the early months of the 2023/24 season, and has already demonstrated a level of strain and pressure not seen during the first 12 minutes in charge. Previous United bosses will relate to that.

There were justifiable reasons for dismissing Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Mourinho and Solskjaer, yet it’s the owners, not the managers, that create this inescapable cloud of doom and despair that constantly casts a shadow over Old Trafford. Ten Hag deserves time to turn things around at United, and achieving a top-four finish and picking up silverware remain realistic prospects this term.

United and the Glazers have proved sacking managers achieves little in the long run, and dismissing Ten Hag would simply not address the ongoing issues that prevent the club from competing with Europe’s top sides. Yet it doesn’t mean that once unthinkable possibility won’t happen.

A loss to Brentford on Saturday and questions really will be asked about Ten Hag’s premiership at Old Trafford.