Reasons why Erik ten Hag is set for his biggest test this week as Manchester United manager
He was never ready for the crucial international break for Manchester United.
Wednesday night’s 3-0 win over Newcastle United in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup was United’s eighth win in their first 15 games in all competitions this season. It was also the team’s second home win.
As a result, United is now locked in a bad system that Erik ten Hag knows that he and his players must escape from as soon as possible. The campaign is not even three months old and it threatens to be the second and third car accident season in the past.
Comparisons are being drawn with the disastrous 2021/22 campaign, in which United sacked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer almost a month before Christmas before replacing him with temporary option Ralf Rangnick. Those days are long forgotten after their past success.
However, football has a habit of creating the unexpected – that is often the hallmark of the sport we all love. United fans are now not liking what they are seeing.
The midweek win by Newcastle was another heartbreaking reminder of United’s comeback since the end of last year. They should have started last season after investing a lot of money in new signings, but now they have no popular style of play, struggle to score goals and are ridiculed by the football world. the world.
It could be better, right? You would like to think so, however.
On paper, each of United’s next three games, starting with Saturday’s lunchtime trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham, looks like a golden opportunity to help them take the first step on the road to redemption. They travel to Denmark in midweek to face FC Copenhagen in another important Champions League match, before hosting Luton Town at Old Trafford next Saturday.
When the trilogy will come to the international holidays, marking the last holiday before the Christmas season and the chaos is busy. The prospect of going into the next holiday without an update on results and performance could make this the longest 20 nights of Ten Hag’s season so far.
Erik ten Hag wants results this week
Though United would be foolish to sack Ten Hag right now, there is no escaping the magnitude of these next three games and how they will contribute to the ever-changing mood surrounding his future. He is already under mounting pressure, and the fact newspaper gossip columns are starting to be filled with names who could potentially replace him tells its own story.
United, after the way they performed against both City and Newcastle, cannot settle for anything less than a victory on the banks of the Thames later today. Fulham have been indifferent at home so far this season and have already been beaten by both Brentford (3-0) and Chelsea (2-0) on their own patch, which should offer the Reds encouragement they can get three points themselves.
The Reds, however, are a team that currently look incapable of beating anyone, meaning Fulham must be confident of securing a first win over them since December 2009. The same is likely to be said when Luton rock up at Old Trafford next weekend.
With the utmost respect to last season’s Championship play-off final winners, who have enjoyed a fairytale rise over the past decade, they should not be arriving in M16 next weekend with even the slightest chance of getting anything. Again, though, you would be foolish at this juncture to entirely rule out an away win.
Sandwiched between the clashes with Fulham and Luton is the second meeting with Copenhagen, who so nearly left United’s hopes of progressing to the last-16 of the Champions League hanging by a very fine thread a little over a week ago. United are still not guaranteed a pass on to the knockout stages but had Jordan Larsson’s last-gasp penalty found its way past Andre Onana, their hopes of advancing would be on a knife edge.
For Ten Hag, though they won’t make his United career, the next eight days could certainly break it. Three games in eight days, all of which the Reds will be expected to win, will determine the mood heading into the final international break of the year.
United only just avoided signing off the last one without a train of negativity in tow, courtesy of Scott McTominay’s late heroics against Brentford. Anything but a crop of positive results, plus improved performances, will prevent the mood around the club from being more toxic than ever.
Ten Hag has never faced a week as important and crucial in his United premiership.
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Antony looked a frustrated figure as he shook his head when Erik ten Hag overlooked him several times whilst making substitutions during Sunday’s Manchester derby
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Antony was left bemused as he shook his head after being snubbed by Erik ten Hag during the Manchester derby.
The Brazilian began on the bench with Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes starting ahead of him as Manchester United looked to upset the form book and see off neighbours Manchester City. Erling Haaland’s brace had the visitors 2-0 up with 15 minutes remaining though as the hosts rang the changes.
Mason Mount was bought on for the beginning of the second half before Ten Hag then made a double change on 73 minutes. Sergio Reguilon and, crucially, Alejandro Garnacho were introduced as United chased the game. Antony remained in his seat and shook his head as the camera panned to him. He was eventually bought on with just four minutes left.
The former Ajax man, signed for huge money last term, has struggled to make an impact since joining from the Dutch side. Garnacho’s introduction suggests Antony finds himself someway down the pecking order as he looks for more minutes.
The 23-year-old has started five times in the Premier League so far this season, but is far from a guarantee in the starting XI. Anthony Martial was the other notable attacker left on the bench by United, and he too was introduced late on.
Antony himself has only come up with eight goals in his United career despite his standing as the club’s second most-expensive signing in history behind Paul Pogba.
Antony was overlooked by Erik ten Hag several times before coming on after 86 minutes
