Ten Hag fighting for his job at Wembley on Saturday (Picture: Getty)
Erik ten Hag has spent the final months of the season effectively on trial at Manchester United. But regardless of how Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City pans out, a verdict should have already been reached.
Five days ago, the Dutchman declared United are in a better position than they found themselves in a year ago. Despite a rotten eighth place finish – their worst in 34 years – after coming third last term. Despite losing more games than any other United side in the Premier League era. Despite finishing with a negative goal difference for the first time since 1990.
In a repeat of last year’s final, United take on a City side who finished 31 points ahead of them, surpassing their neighbours with a record haul of four consecutive league titles.
A United win on Saturday might erase some of those memories – if only for a few hours. But the scale of their malaise suggests there can only be one decision.
Ten Hag has been under the microscope since Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS completed their purchase of a 27.7 per cent stake of the club in February. The scrutiny intensified following the arrival of Jason Wilcox, one of the first new recruits off the pitch to get his feet on the ground at Old Trafford.
Among other things, the club’s new technical director has been conducting an audit of the manager’s credentials – a process which began with United’s near fatal collapse against Coventry City in the FA Cup semi-final.
A draw at home to the second bottom side Burnley a week later did little to help the cause, with a humiliating 4-0 thrashing away to Crystal Palace undermining it further. That trial period has encapsulated many of the problems that have been a theme all season.
Ratcliffe and INEOS have remained silent on the manager’s future (Man Utd via Getty Images)
For all the mediocrity United have shown this season, there have been some big moments. There have been notable fightbacks in the league against Brentford and Aston Villa. The FA Cup quarter-final heroics against Liverpool followed by the Kobbie Mainoo-inspired draw with Jurgen Klopp’s side in the league played a pivotal role in denying their arch-rivals the perfect send-off for their departing head coach. Even the recent performance against title-chasing Arsenal was an improved one.
But the idea of a one-off win this weekend dictating the biggest call United can make represents the haphazard and emotive decision-making the club is desperately trying to rid itself of.
Huge moments this season may not be enough (Picture: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
United have dined out on false dawns for the last decade with ‘turning points’ setting them up for more failures over and over again. The dramatic injury time win over Brentford last October was quickly followed by humbling 3-0 defeats at home to City and Newcastle United.
Four days after the Boxing Day revival against Aston Villa, they were beaten by Nottingham Forest. After the highs of Amad Diallo’s thrilling winner against Liverpool, United failed to win any of their next four games before limping over the line against Coventry. On this season’s evidence, success on Saturday would be another in a long line of short-lived successes.
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Ten Hag will argue the mitigating circumstances; a defensive crisis which has left him to name 14 different combinations at the back this season. Marcus Rashford’s dramatic down-turn is another. Any serenity the manager will have looked to instil will not have been helped by the radio silence over his future from Ratcliffe and INEOS who have been happy to stick with the ‘keeping our options open’ line.
But as club legend Rio Ferdinand commented this week, the writing appears to be on the wall. Chelsea’s ongoing search for a new manager only heightens the need for quick and decisive action.
It may very well leave the club in the same position they found themselves eight years ago when Louis van Gaal, just hours after guiding the team to victory over Crystal Palace at Wembley, was relieved of his duties. History may have to repeat itself.
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