We evaluate Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United following his departure from the club on October 28.
And just like that, the Erik ten Hag era has come to an end.
His time at the club lasted 850 days and 128 games across all competitions, yet his turbulent and dramatic journey often felt far longer.
Throughout his tenure, Ten Hag navigated boardroom changes, delivered two trophies, and transformed from Manchester United’s hopeful savior to the manager overseeing their lowest-ever Premier League finish.
The breaking point was a 2-1 loss to West Ham United on Sunday—a game that could easily have ended in a comfortable win but instead epitomized the chaos that often marked his stint at Old Trafford.
Ironically, it wasn’t always like this.
Just over a year ago, Ten Hag was celebrated for returning United to the UEFA Champions League and for revitalizing the club culture. However, a difficult 2023/24 Premier League season—despite an impressive FA Cup victory over Manchester City—has since overshadowed those achievements.
The story grew more complex in the 2024/25 season. Manchester United began with a stronger defense but a much weaker attack, a complete reversal of their 2023/24 issues, yet leading to the same disappointing outcome.
Here’s a look at how it unraveled for Ten Hag.
Table of Contents
2022/23: A Promising Start with Underlying Flaws
In his debut season, Erik ten Hag made bold moves: moving on from Cristiano Ronaldo, revitalizing Marcus Rashford, centering the midfield around Casemiro, winning the EFL Cup without conceding, and guiding Manchester United back to the Champions League. It seemed like the perfect start.
Yet, in retrospect, there were hints that United’s rebuild wasn’t as robust as it appeared.
The season began with back-to-back defeats, including a crushing 4-0 loss to Brentford, foreshadowing tactical inconsistencies. Ten Hag had suggested a style inspired by Ajax, though he admitted, “It is always players who dictate the way of play,” perhaps preempting the team’s shapeless performances. United’s play often relied on individual moments rather than cohesive tactics; there was no high pressing, little passing structure, and their mid-table metrics suggested an underlying vulnerability masked by a few standout performances.
Rashford’s 17-goal revival and strong additions like Lisandro Martinez helped United to a third-place finish, but it was Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Rashford’s key moments within a conservative, counter-attacking setup that made the season successful. Ten Hag’s adaptation to Casemiro’s leadership resembled Zinedine Zidane’s pragmatic approach at Real Madrid, with United averaging just 53.7% possession.
However, metrics told a different story. Opta’s Expected Points table placed United in sixth with an xP of 64.2, only slightly above the previous season’s 55.6. The 7-0 defeat to Liverpool overshadowed the EFL Cup victory, underscoring that Ten Hag’s successful debut may have relied on over-performance, foreshadowing the challenges ahead.
Still, Ten Hag had undeniably achieved his primary goals: securing Manchester United’s second-highest points tally (75) since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure, a third-place finish, and a trophy.
So, after another summer, surely year two would bring the anticipated tactical transformation…right?
2023/24: Ten Hag’s Shift to ‘Direct’ Football Unravels
In May 2023, Ten Hag explained his evolving approach, saying, “I can’t play like Ajax because I have different players. I came here with my philosophy based on possession, but I wanted to combine it with the DNA of Manchester United, the players, and their characters… I want to emphasise more on going direct.”
Since August 2023, however, pundits have expressed confusion over Ten Hag’s tactics. Yet, to his credit, he had made his intentions clear after his first season: fast, direct football aligned with the “United Way.” Signings like Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, known for their pressing ability, alongside goalkeeper Andre Onana for building play from the back, seemed to support this new direction.
But things didn’t go as planned. Casemiro’s performance declined, Rashford’s form dipped, and the midfield often disappeared, a byproduct of United’s defensive line sitting back as the forwards pressed. This gap left a vast, exploited space in midfield, leading to an ineffective and disjointed system.
Ten Hag struggled to address this gap, and week after week, opposing teams effortlessly exploited the open spaces.
By season’s end, Manchester United had faced 667 shots—the second-most in the league—along with 862 progressive carries and 366 successful take-ons against them, ranking third and fourth in those categories, respectively.
To be fair to Ten Hag, his season was marred by an unprecedented injury crisis. Manchester United endured more injuries than any other Premier League team, with 45 setbacks—many impacting the defensive line, which partially explains their poor defensive record.
However, this doesn’t fully account for their struggles in the Premier League or the Champions League, where they finished at the bottom of their group, conceding 15 goals in six games.
In fact, looking at the Expected Points table, United may have been fortunate to finish as high as eighth. According to Opta, their Expected Points were just under 45.0, which would have placed them closer to 15th.
It seems almost unimaginable—as did Manchester United’s remarkable FA Cup campaign, where they scraped through thrilling encounters with Liverpool and Coventry City to reach the final. There, they clinched a 2-1 victory over Manchester City, securing a second trophy in as many years under Ten Hag.
Yet, even in this triumph, the signs of an impending end were evident. United’s defensive shape and mere 26 percent possession suggested not a rebirth, but rather a calculated smash-and-grab win.
2024/25: Tactical Adjustments and Persistent Misfortune
The FA Cup victory extended Ten Hag’s tenure and highlighted his record—only Pep Guardiola had lifted more trophies since Ten Hag’s arrival in 2022. This success secured the backing of new part-owners, INEOS, and justified another substantial investment in the squad, bringing his spending total to a reported £564 million—the most by any United manager since Ferguson. Expectations were high, and Ten Hag needed a strong start.
However, the season began disappointingly. United collected only 11 points from their first nine league matches, alongside three Europa League draws, marking over a year without a European victory. This slow start ultimately led to his dismissal, despite some promising signs.
With key players returning from injury, United adopted a higher defensive line and ramped up their aggression. Currently, they lead the Premier League in tackles won (120) and interceptions (102), showing glimpses of improvement amid continued bad luck, including a fresh injury to new signing Leny Yoro.
Progress on the defensive side was countered by wasteful finishing, highlighted in what became Ten Hag’s final game in charge.
Diogo Dalot’s missed open goal seemed to encapsulate their season—a moment that Ten Hag likely viewed as yet another instance of unfortunate luck.
Indeed, Ten Hag faced considerable misfortune. We’ll never know if United might have thrived in 2023/24 without the barrage of injuries, if this season would have unfolded differently with Yoro, or even how the team’s path might have changed had they secured De Jong instead of Casemiro in 2022.
Yet, despite the “what ifs,” after over two years at the helm, Ten Hag ultimately bears responsibility for the team he assembled. In hindsight, there’s widespread agreement that throughout his tenure—including that initial promising season—Manchester United lacked a clear identity or playing style.
Ten Hag departs with an average of 1.72 points per match, the third-lowest in United’s Premier League history, just narrowly surpassing David Moyes’ 1.68.
In the end, the injuries, fleeting successes, and FA Cup moments fade beside one statistic, which perhaps tells the clearest story of the Erik ten Hag era.
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What were Erik ten Hag’s key achievements at Manchester United?
Ten Hag secured two trophies, including the EFL Cup and the FA Cup, during his tenure, leading the team to a third-place finish in the Premier League in his first season.
What challenges did Ten Hag face during his time at the club?
Ten Hag dealt with significant injuries, particularly in defense, which impacted team performance. Additionally, there was a lack of a clear playing style throughout his tenure.
How did Ten Hag’s tactical approach evolve over the seasons?
Initially focusing on a possession-based game, Ten Hag shifted towards a more direct style. However, his tactics were often criticized for being unclear, leading to inconsistent performances.
What was Ten Hag’s overall performance record at Manchester United?
Ten Hag averaged 1.72 points per match, marking the third-lowest average in the club’s Premier League history, just above David Moyes’ record.
