Manchester United

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Manchester United's decision to sack Erik ten Hag is the correct one - but only highlights the folly of the decision to reluctantly keep faith with him in the summer.

Once clubs start talking to other managers, as Manchester United did, it is obvious they do not have full trust in the incumbent and the credits are rolling unless they pull out a remarkable run of results. The opposite leaves them only one game away from a crisis.

And Ten Hag is a classic example.

The dysfunction at the heart of Old Trafford meant they not only kept Ten Hag but extended his contract and then allowed him bring in more players he knew without any improvement, such as Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and latterly Manuel Ugarte from Paris St-Germain.

And the appalling decision, both in the financial and football context, to pay £82m for Antony, who Ten Hag also knew from his time at Ajax, was a millstone around the neck of the club and manager.

It has been a catalogue of errors and misplaced faith, matched by poor results that led to today's dismissal of Ten Hag.

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Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague does not think Xavi is the right calibre of manager for the Manchester United job, despite having been linked with it in recent weeks.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live about the former Barcelona boss following Erik ten Hag's departure from Old Trafford, Balague said: "When Xavi left Barcelona he felt burned out because it is a tough job as we all know. His idea was to take some time off and relax, but all of a sudden there has been interest from the Premier League.

"He has not been interviewed by Manchester United though.

"It would be an amazing job to have but I do not believe he should be an automatic choice from United.

"He doesn't have a lot of experience abroad but if we waited for managers to have experience in the Premier League then they would never get there.

"It would be a leap of faith from Xavi and I don't think he is the calibre that they need or are looking for. It would require a complete transformation of the squad as his style is different.

"The answer to Manchester United, in my opinion, is already there and it is Ruud van Nistelrooy."

Listen to Balague discuss Xavi on BBC Sounds' Football Daily

We asked for your views on Erik ten Hag's departure from Old Trafford.

Here are some of your comments:

Pip: Sadly Ten Hag was unable to improve on last year's very average performances and it has cost him his job. He was supported in the transfer window and nothing has changed. He was out of his depth and unfortunately for him, sacking him was the right decision.

Brandon: Erik Ten Hag was ultimately a disgrace. They spent valuable money on flop players and they came away with shocking results. They have been getting embarrassed every match and they have no excuses. I expected more.

Chris: A bit sad for Ten Hag. He's been no better and no worse than most of his predecessors. I loved Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and I think United need to learn to play with a smile on their faces. It's all a bit grim at the moment.

Paul: Ten Hag had run out of time. A lack of playing style or identity cannot run into three seasons and performances are just not good enough.

Olusola: It's been difficult to discern any pattern of play in this United team. Poor result after poor result and all you get from the manager are the same untenable excuses. His choice of players is questionable as he appears only comfortable with players that have played previously for him. His sacking is long overdue.

Tony: It was definitely his team after £600m spent. The lack of goals and no recognisable style of play have seen him off. Being 14th in the league after nine games is not acceptable and although the board delayed their decision in the summer, at least they have acted swiftly now to get us back on track.

Matthew: Ten Hag was fortunate to have lasted as long as he did. The post Sir Alex era, on the whole, has been a consistent trend of poor management choices in both managers and players that are not remotely what you relate with Manchester United. Kieran McKenna is a young manager who knows the club and plays good football.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Erik ten Hag's turbulent Manchester United reign has finally come to an end.

The Manchester United ownership have decided to pull the plug on the Dutchman's time in charge following a controversial 2-1 defeat by West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday.

It comes amidst a torrid start to the 2024-25 campaign that sees the Red Devils sitting 14th in the league table.

In the summer, it appeared Ten Hag had already been given a stay of execution after new co-owners Ineos had reportedly spoken to potential candidates before giving the former Ajax boss a new contract.

However, the result at the weekend looks to have been the final straw.

But are the club right to cut ties with Ten Hag?

Across all competitions in his 850 days in charge, the 54-year-old has managed 128 games and won 72 of those, leaving him with a win percentage of 56%.

Among the six managers to have taken charge on a permanent or interim basis since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement, Ten Hag's win percentage has him second only behind Jose Mourinho (58%).

His 56% is above Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (55%), Louis van Gaal (52%), David Moyes (51%) and Ralf Rangnick (37%).

When comparing his record in the Premier League to those former managers, it is a less pleasant picture for the Dutchman.

His points per game record of 1.72 ranks him below Mourinho (1.89), Solskjaer (1.81) and Van Gaal (1.79).

In fact, according to Opta, his goals per game record in the league of 1.45 is only above Ragnick's 1.38, while his goals conceded per game figure of 1.32 is only below that of the German's 1.32.

He also tops the rankings among the six for number of shots faced per-game with 14.74.

With these numbers during his spell, it may be somewhat surprising to find that, in a Premier League Table since the beginning of 2022-23, Manchester United would be sitting fifth with 146 points - just one behind high-flying Aston Villa.

Ten Hag's time in charge hasn't been without it's success - a Carabao Cup and FA Cup in successive seasons is not to be sniffed at - but it seems the inconsistency and apparent lack of progress under the Dutchman has ultimately cost him his job.

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has posted on Instagram following news that Erik ten Hag has left his position as manager at Old Trafford.

Accompanied by an image of the pair lifting the FA Cup together at the end of last season, the Portugal international midfielder said: "Thanks for everything boss! I appreciate the trust and the moments we share together, I wish you all the best in the future.

"Even knowing the last period hasn't been great from all of us, I hope you fans can keep with you the good things the manager has done for our club!"

Read live updates following Erik ten Hag's exit from Manchester United

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Football writer Henry Winter on X, external: "Erik ten Hag had to go. He would have been long gone at another club with less patient fans.

"Manchester United were going nowhere under him. The team lacked identity, balance, belief and direction. Recruits he pushed for haven't yet delivered.

"Ten Hag voiced frustrations over injuries and refereeing decisions but all managers have that to varying degrees. Likeable guy, a fascinating interviewee when relaxed but lacked the natural authority to be a United manager."

Send us your thoughts on Ten Hag's exit and who you think should be the next Manchester United manager, external

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BBC Sport chief football news reporter Simon Stone, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live about Erik ten Hag's departure from Manchester United: "It seemed a question of time from the moment they lost against Tottenham to when Erik ten Hag would be sacked.

"There was a speculation at the time that he was going to get the sack but then they drew a couple of games against Porto and Aston Villa.

"He staggered into this latest round of fixtures. They lost controversially to West Ham on Sunday but I think he had just come to the end of the line.

"United stood by him at the end of last season after winning the FA Cup, but if they hadn't won that then he ultimately would have been sacked then.

"They then spent a lot of money on players. Over the three summers he's been in charge they have spent hundreds of millions of pounds on players but many of them have not been good enough."

Listen to reaction of Ten Hag's sacking on BBC Radio 5 Live

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Erik ten Hag's time as manager of Manchester United is over.

The Dutchman has left following a run of one win in United's past eight matches in all competitions.

How are you feeling about this news, United fans? Was it the right time for him to move on, or did he deserve more time? And who should be the next manager?

Let us know your thoughts here, external

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between West Ham and Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

James: I think we were lucky to win that one. Manchester United should have had us dead and buried by half-time. We were much better in the second half though. I'm delighted for Summerville getting his first goal, hopefully the first of many. I don't think it was a penalty, if I'm honest, and any team would be unhappy if that was given against them.

Mick: After 15 minutes, the question was: how many would Manchester United score? West Ham didn't have a defence! A total shambles. We were slower everywhere and had no fight and no ideas. Absolutely shocking. A team that can't defend against a team that can't score, what a joke! The changes helped - Summerville needs to start now and Antonio should be benched. We were very lucky.

Martyn: Relegation beckons, it's a reality. We can't even score enough goals on this rare occasion where we dominated. We are still too slow and ponder our build up, allowing the opposition to regroup and reorganise.

David: Papering over the cracks. We made a very poor Manchester United look like Brazil. Lopetegui can't carry on like this with no pace in midfield. Summerville has to start games now that Kudus is unavailable. I still think Lopetegui was the wrong choice and he is definitely still on borrowed time. He is certainly no improvement on David Moyes.

Man Utd fans

Steve: Another poor performance where we simply cannot get the ball in the net! The team selection was baffling. We spent £50m on a replacement for Casemiro and then we bench him, after a great midweek performance, in favour of Casemiro! Mazraoui at left-back and Dalot to right-back, why swap them? Top four is another planet for us under Erik ten Hag. It keeps getting worse.

Josh: Quite clearly not a penalty, but we are all used to VAR being utterly pointless now. However, United cannot use the official's error to mask their incompetence in front of goal. Ten Hag can't put the ball in the net for the players so they have to take the blame for their ineptitude, but he will probably lose his job because of it.

Charlie: United should have been out of sight by half-time. We have two centre forwards who are supposed to be goalscorers but, to be honest, it was money wasted. We are so slow playing out of defence - we pass, pass, pass across the pitch. It is the same old routine every game and it so easy for other teams to read. The tactics are all wrong, all because of the manager.

Rob: This is the third time I have called for Erik ten Hag to be sacked. What are the hierarchy waiting for? We are now three places off the relegation zone. If they don't put this wrong right now, be it on their heads! I have supported Manchester United for 50-plus years and this is the most frustrated I have ever been. The players need trimming and shaking up too.

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Former Premier League goalkeeper David James spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag's position: "Over the last decade, Manchester United are not that much better than Tottenham. They are not a title contender, as much as Manchester United fans want them to be.

"If you look at the realistic position of Manchester United, [Erik] ten Hag is underperforming as the manager, yes, but he's not underperforming by half a league. Mid-table, at the moment, is where Manchester United need to be. I think he's got a little bit more time left."

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The conversation around Erik ten Hag's position at Manchester United continues following Sunday's defeat to West Ham.

Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker believes "time has run out" for the Manchester United boss and the club are "just waiting to see who the best option is now" for his replacement.

"They have to think about whether they get a manager in to fill the gap again or are they going to find the right manager for the long-term plan," Reo-Coker said on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "That is the big decision because in my opinion the Erik ten Hag era is over."

Ex-top-flight goalkeeper Paul Robinson added: "I have to agree. I was surprised that he kept his job at the start of the season and in our early predictions I said I would be surprised if he makes Christmas. I still stand by that.

"If any of the other giants of Europe - like Juventus, Bayern Munich or AC Milan - were sat 14th in the league then their manager would be sacked or definitely not have as much leeway as Ten Hag."

Listen to Football Daily from BBC Sounds

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Former Premier League goalkeeer Paul Robinson says Manchester United's defeat to West Ham "is damning" for Erik ten Hag and "unacceptable" given the price tag of his squad.

"A team like Manchester United can not be 14th in the Premier League," Robinson said on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "We know it is still early on in the season but they have only won three games.

"Ten Hag seems very resilient and robust from any outside criticism. He speaks of this process and he is going to do it his way, but it is unacceptable for a team that have spent over £600m to be in this position.

"His contract has been extended and he has been given the players that he wants, so he has had all of his excuses taken away from him. He has been backed but it is the results and performances that will now decide his future.

"The defeat is damning."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

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Former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker says West Ham should not have been awarded a penalty for Matthijs de Ligt's challenge on Danny Ings.

After waving away initial penalty appeals, referee David Coote was sent to the pitchside monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR) to review De Ligt's challenge and overturned his previous decision by pointing to the spot.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says the penalty feels "unfair and unjust" and as a consequence of Jarrod Bowen converting from the spot, United fell to their fourth Premier League defeat of the season.

"It is not often I agree with Ten Hag but on this occasion I do because it was not a penalty," said Reo-Coker on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "De Ligt goes to challenge Ings and it is more of a coming together than a penalty.

"It is soft. If we are going to start giving penalties for that then we are just opening up another can of worms because it is ridiculous.

"I feel for United because it is harsh but it wasn't a great performance from them anyway."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's Four Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• West Ham 2-1 Man Utd

• Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool

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This is Manchester United's second-lowest points tally after nine games of a Premier League season (11 points), with 2019-20 (10 points) being the only campaign in which they have had fewer points at this stage.

Only Crystal Palace and Southampton (6 each) have scored fewer Premier League goals than Manchester United (8) this season.

Emily Salley
BBC Sport journalist

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Erik ten Hag has reason to feel aggrieved by the penalty decision that resulted in Manchester United's 2-1 defeat by West Ham.

However, he should be angrier at his team's missed efforts in front of goal.

By half-time, United should have been out of reach.

Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford were both unable to get the ball out of their feet in the middle of the box before their efforts were eventually smothered by goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.

While Alejandro Garnacho's first strike that rattled off the crossbar was an audacious one, he should have done better with the second that he slammed wide.

The 20-year-old Argentine was a constant threat and it looks like he is fast becoming United's most important player up front.

Rashford, meanwhile, has yet to hit form this season and had a quiet afternoon in east London before he was subbed off for Amad Diallo.

Only Crystal Palace and Southampton (six each) have scored fewer Premier League goals than Manchester United (eight) this season.