EXPLAINED | Why Manchester United are struggling under Erik ten Hag in 2023-24 season

Manchester United hit a new low on Wednesday (Nov 1) after they were defeated 3-0 by Newcastle United at Old Trafford in the League Cup. In spite of being graced by rich history and tradition, United have now lost eight of their 15 matches in all competitions, leaving them with their worst start to a campaign since 1962-63. Manager Erik ten Hag is now under the scanner after a poor start as United try to get through the torrid time.

Manchester United in the last 10 years

It has been 10 years since United last won the Premier League title when Sir Alex Ferguson led them to the record 20th title in English football. However, since Sir Alex’s retirement, the Red Devils have seen a deep form with the blue side of Manchester taking the tag of the biggest team in the land. To add further embarrassment to United’s woes, Manchester City have won the Premier League on six occasions since Sir Alex’s departure while they also imitated the latter’s biggest feat of winning a treble of Premier League, Champions League, and the FA Cup in one season.

Board issues

Frustration has been growing amongst the fans as United struggle to mount a realistic challenge on the field. Fans want the Glazers family out of the board who have owned the club since 2005 having purchased the majority shares at the club. The club was put on sale in 2022 with two key bidders Qatar's Sheikh Jassim and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe of the INEOS Group leading the race. However, with no bidder matching the expected price by the Glazers family, the club’s sale has been dragged for a long time.

As things stand, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has bought 25 percent shares at the club and is expected to look at the administration on-field. His experience of handling the football side of things is expected to ease the pressure on the field. Ratcliffe currently owns French football club Nice which could come in handy for United’s board stability.

With board issues on offer, United’s issues are highlighted with their final position in the league table. Since 2014, United have finished outside the top four on five occasions and has seen them miss out on the Champions League football often. Interestingly, their defeat to City rivals Manchester City in Sunday’s derby has seen them slump to 34 Premier League losses since Sir Alex’s departure. It is the same number of Premier League matches he lost in 26 years in charge of the club.

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Discipline issues

In August 2021, Manchester United brought back Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus, a move supposed to spark the revival of the club. United had finished second in the league in the previous season and were expected to challenge Manchester City for the title. However, poor form in the 2021-22 season saw them finish sixth and miss out on the Champions League. Ronaldo openly spoke on his issues with Ten Hag, resulting in his contract being terminated by the club.

The Ronaldo saga was the series start of the Ten Hag downfall despite United finishing in the top three in the 2022-23 season. At the start of the 2023-24 season, Jadon Sancho fell out of favour for a reported spat with the manager. The England winger was frozen out to the extent that he is currently not allowed to enter the first-team canteen. To make matters worse, United winger Antony was summoned by Brazilian police for violent conduct with a girlfriend. He was out of first-team action and the club had to release the statement in this case.

Poor recruitment

In the 2021 summer transfer window, United’s move for Ronaldo was supposed to spark their revival, but instead, it was one of the poor Premier League transfers of all time. The same window also saw them acquire Sancho, another player who is not featuring for the club. While not all signings work, the board has recruited a series of flops at the club which includes Angel de Maria, Alexis Sanchez, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, and others. They were also a victim of their own success as a club they got players who have passed their peak including Jonny Evans.

Ten Hag’s system has also been a huge issue for the club on the field as they try to play from the back but lack the kind of players needed. Andre Onana looks like a reflection of his own and has produced poor form on the field. Stripping Harry Maguire of the captaincy may have been a good decision, but Ten Hag may have made a move too early to stamp his authority on the club.

In the Premier League standings, at the time of writing United sat eighth in the table with 15 points. They have won five matches and lost five and alongside Manchester City remain the only team yet to draw a match in the current season. They have so far conceded 16 goals and scored 11, which sees them occupy a negative goal difference.

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