Erik ten Hag has the second half of the season to save his job at Manchester United. Ineos will gain control of the sporting side of the club in the next few weeks.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who will co-own with the Glazers, has already made a significant move, luring Omar Berrada from neighbours Manchester City to become the next CEO. Berrada will take over from interim Patrick Stewart in the summer.
Other changes are soon to take place over the coming weeks and months, including the announcement of a new sporting director and an overhaul of recruitment. Ten Hag must make sure that a new manager is not also part of Ineos’ restructuring of the club.
The side endured a miserable campaign so far this season, United languishing in eighth place in the Premier League, finishing bottom of their Champions League group and being dumped out of the League Cup.
Though injuries to key players such as Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, along with summer signing Mason Mount have affected Ten Hag’s plans for this season, he has still shown his limitations. His stubbornness in committing to a single pivot in midfield has led to many instances in which United have been overrun in the centre of the pitch, with opposition players able to overload in numbers.
Embed from Getty ImagesFurthermore, his side has presented themselves as one of the most ineffective sides in the league in terms of scoring goals. They have only found the net 24 times so far, with only Crystal Palace, Burnley and Sheffield United managing less.
Marcus Rashford’s form has nosedived to an alarming level this campaign, with his goal against Tottenham last time out being his first at Old Trafford since May.
New signing Rasmus Hojlund is young and raw but has admittedly also struggled to adjust to life in England, needing over 10 games to score his first league goal against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
Alejandro Garnacho is another youngster who has made great strides this season, but he has still only managed just five goals at the halfway point of the season.
Embed from Getty ImagesTen Hag must ditch the single-pivot tactic and help out young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. He has still shone brightly in his debut season despite being hung out to dry at times considering the amount of work he is being asked to do with and without the ball.
The return of Casemiro is important in that sense, he has greater stability and a foundation to build on can be established with the Brazilian and Mainoo in the middle of the park, allowing Bruno Fernandes to excel in his usual #10 position.
Embed from Getty ImagesTen Hag has used injuries as a reason for United’s dismal run of form for much of the season, but with key men returning after the winter break, supporters will not want to hear that excuse anymore.
Martinez, Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire are all in contention to start away to Newport County on Sunday before crucial games away to Wolves and at home to West Ham will determine whether Ten Hag has learnt his lessons about where his side have gone wrong throughout the first part of the season.
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If results and performances do not improve, it is hard to see Ineos persisting with the Dutchman, a man whom they did not appoint. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his trusted lieutenant Sir Dave Brailsford, now set to be a member of the club’s board, have stressed the need to appoint the ‘best in class’ in key positions to help United return to former glories.
If Ten Hag presides over a trophyless season and one in which the club finish in their lowest-ever league position in the Premier League era, which looks like a real possibility as of right now, that criteria would mean the end for the Dutchman.
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