Manchester United have made a mediocre start to the Premier League campaign, and Erik ten Hag is under pressure.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is naturally under a lot of pressure, and he has been criticised for failing to get the best out of his squad. Despite spending millions in the transfer market, the Dutch manager has not been able to get his team firing this season.
Former Liverpool striker and popular pundit Stan Collymore has now slammed the club hierarchy for persisting with Ten Hag as the manager. Collymore has suggested that the Manchester United hierarchy are probably looking to be patient with the Dutch manager and follow the blueprint led by Arsenal, who were very patient with Mikel Arteta during his initial years.
However, the ex-Liverpool ace believes that Erik ten Hag is not as good as Arteta and that he should be replaced immediately. The former Liverpool striker explained that even though Arsenal struggled under Arteta initially, there was clear progression season after season and the Gunners played an attractive brand of football.
“I am sure Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have come in and agreed to let him stay on because they’ve looked at the time Arsenal have given Mikel Arteta and thought ‘see, if we trust the process, it can work out’,” he said in an interview to Caught Offside.
“Ten Hag isn’t Arteta though. I know Arsenal have only won one FA Cup with Arteta but there is clear and obvious progression being made season after season under the Spaniard, and more importantly, the team have their identity back. The Gunners play technically exciting and fast-paced free-flowing football.
“Historically, United have played the same kind of electric, all-action football; devastating defence-splitting counter-attacks but they are absolutely nowhere near rediscovering that identity under Ten Hag — at best they’re too passive and at worst they’re boring. He has got to go.”
Erik ten Hag has failed at Manchester United
Manchester United have not been able to show substantial progress, and there has barely been any improvement since the Dutch manager has taken over. He has spent significant amounts of money on new signings, and Manchester United should have been challenging for major trophies.
It will be interesting to see if the Red Devils can turn things around in the coming weeks and compete with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world and naturally the expectations will be high. Ten Hag must deliver quickly if he wants to hold onto his job.
