Manchester United's season has been undeniably bad, with their chances of Champions League qualification now in question. They have fallen far, being out of Europe before Christmas and likely to finish sixth in the league table.
Manchester United supporters were able to extract some schadenfreude from the draw with Liverpool five years on from their costly Old Trafford stalemate.
Winning that trophy would be a flattering end to an unflattering season but league form is the reliable barometer and United have a paltry win percentage of 48 in 2023-24. Ten Hag's future hangs in the balance and the suggestion United could wait for football administrators to stop tending to their gardens to make a definitive decision on Ten Hag's position is unrealistic. Here's how the evidence stacks up.
Selecting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as caretaker and then permanent manager emboldened some players to ride roughshod over someone who was effectively hired as a substitute teacher. Some United players thought Solskjaer was a soft touch and Ralf Rangnick, merely an interim, was never going to whip the squad into shape.
Ten Hag noticeably lingered to applaud the United supporters when he re-emerged for the second half against Liverpool. Two years ago, they needed him more than he needed them. Now it is the other way round.Diogo Dalot has enjoyed career-best form under Ten Hag and Luke Shaw has improved to the extent he is a fine centre back when called upon. With the captain's armband strapped to his bicep for the majority of last season, Bruno Fernandes had his most consistent with United.
"Don't interrupt the process," Ten Hag urged last week. It would help if the process was discernible. United attempt to press high but defend deep, an inexplicable and unsustainable approach.Twelve league defeats this season equals United's worst in the Premier League era. In the previous seasons , there was a managerial change before the campaign had ended.
Injuries have been rife at other elite clubs but they have coped better. Liverpool won a League Cup final with a depleted squad and were at the Premier League summit until they lost their nerve at Old Trafford. City are still on course for a second successive treble.
Manchester United Season Title Challengers Also-Rans Champions League Qualification Europa Competition Bad Season
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