The recent 3-0 home defeat against Tottenham, their third in six Premier League games, has left the club in 12th position, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. Ten Hag attempted to justify the defeat by claiming that the red card shown to Bruno Fernandes “changed the game”, although he failed to mention that Tottenham had numerous chances and could have increased their lead before half-time.
Despite some victories in previous competitions, such as the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, Ten Hag’s overall performance has been worrying, with 2023-24 shaping up to be one of the worst in the club’s history. With only five goals scored in six league games, criticism of his management is increasing, especially considering the large amount invested in transfers, which amounts to €550 million since his arrival.
The recent successes of coaches such as Unai Emery and Ange Postecoglou further highlight the pressure on Ten Hag. While Emery took Aston Villa from the relegation zone to the Champions League in two years and Postecoglou transformed Tottenham after the departure of Harry Kane, Ten Hag appears to have failed to build a cohesive and effective team. The young talents that have emerged under his command, such as Alejandro Garnacho, have not been able to compensate for the lack of chemistry in the team.
Amid mounting pressure and a difficult road ahead, Ten Hag faces an uncertain future at Manchester United. His optimism and firmness about his continuity do not hide the fact that the ship is heading towards an iceberg, and his time to reverse the situation is quickly running out. The lack of a clear solution and positive results could cost him his job in the near future.
