Gone…! Manchester United sack manager Erik ten Hag
Manchester United has dismissed manager Erik ten Hag due to the club’s disappointing start this season, as announced on Monday.
Currently sitting in 14th place after a 2-1 loss to West Ham on Sunday, United has endured four defeats in their first nine league matches and secured just one win in their last eight across all competitions.
The club issued a statement: “Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager.”
Appointed in April 2022, Ten Hag led United to domestic success with the 2023 Carabao Cup and the 2024 FA Cup victories. “We are grateful to Erik for his contributions and wish him well for the future,” the statement continued.
Former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ten Hag’s assistant since July, will step in as interim manager while United searches for a permanent replacement.
Even before the loss to West Ham, Ten Hag’s management was under scrutiny due to United’s worst start in the English top flight since the 1989/90 season.
His role faced further questions from co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, who kept him on board after an internal review last season following an eighth-place league finish. Ten Hag was given a contract extension until June 2026 after an unexpected FA Cup win against Manchester City.
Despite his achievements, Ten Hag struggled to address United’s challenges from the previous season.
After joining in May 2022, Ten Hag defended his record, having secured two trophies in his two full seasons with the club, including breaking a six-year silverware drought by defeating Newcastle in the 2023 League Cup final.
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United’s FA Cup campaign offered a brief reprieve as they reached the final and placed third in the Premier League during Ten Hag’s debut season. However, his second season saw significant setbacks with injuries to key players, underwhelming big-money signings, and an absence of cohesive play, resulting in disappointing losses.
United failed to advance from the Champions League group stage after losses to Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen, while defeats to teams like Bournemouth, Brighton, and Fulham compounded their struggles at Old Trafford during the 2023/24 season.
Off-field changes under co-owner Ratcliffe included the appointment of a new chief executive, sporting director, and technical director, aiming to rejuvenate the club’s structure.
Despite Ten Hag’s surprise FA Cup victory over Manchester City at Wembley, the momentum didn’t last.
Hopes of building on their FA Cup triumph quickly faded as Liverpool and Tottenham defeated United 3-0 at Old Trafford in September, and United failed to secure wins in their first two Europa League matches against FC Twente and Porto.
While Ten Hag bore responsibility for recent challenges, his tenure represents only a fraction of United’s overall struggles since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Since Ferguson’s departure, five permanent managers have been dismissed, with United yet to mount a serious Premier League title challenge—a title they won 13 times under Ferguson.
Gone…! Manchester United sack manager Erik ten Hag
