{"id":297673,"date":"2023-10-30T23:25:01","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T23:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=297673"},"modified":"2023-10-30T23:25:01","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T23:25:01","slug":"erik-ten-hag-has-so-much-mess-to-clear-up-at-toxic-manchester-united","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/erik-ten-hag-has-so-much-mess-to-clear-up-at-toxic-manchester-united\/","title":{"rendered":"Erik ten Hag has so much mess to clear up at TOXIC Manchester United"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Erik ten Hag has so much mess to clear up at TOXIC Manchester United: CHRIS WHEELER looks at the key questions the Old Trafford boss must answer as he comes under increasing pressure<\/h1>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Man United were humiliated again in Sunday&#8217;s derby defeat at Old Trafford<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Erik ten Hag is now under more scrutiny than ever in his position at the club<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Follow Mail Sport&#8217;s new Man United WhatsApp channel for all the breaking news<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When Manchester United face Newcastle in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, it will bring back memories of the highlight of Erik ten Hag\u2019s time in charge at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n<p>United\u2019s triumph over Eddie Howe\u2019s side in the final at Wembley in February ended a six-year trophy drought and rewarded the club\u2019s decision to appoint Ten Hag as manager.<\/p>\n<p>Just a week later, though, the Dutchman went from his highest point to his lowest as United were humiliated 7-0 at Liverpool.<\/p>\n<p>It has been up and down since then, and Sunday\u2019s abject surrender to Manchester City, as they lost 3-0 in the derby at Old Trafford, was another dark day.<\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag\u2019s tactical decisions were criticised with former United captain Roy Keane claiming the manager\u2019s \u2018head is spinning\u2019 as problems pile up.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193243-0-image-a-101_1698702498291.jpg\" height=\"444\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Erik ten Hag is under scrutiny after United produced another torrid performance in Sunday&#8217;s Manchester derby defeat<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193241-0-image-a-102_1698702502502.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag\u2019s tactical decisions were criticised as United failed to show signs of improvement<\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p>Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be keeping a close eye on developments as he prepares to take over the running of football operations in return for a \u00a31.4billion investment.<\/p>\n<p>Another former Old Trafford favourite, Gary Neville, joked that United need Daniel Radcliffe not Jim Ratcliffe and claimed the state of flux is dragging his old club down.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I believe the toxicity that exists at the club eats alive every manager and player that comes here,\u2019 said Neville.<\/p>\n<p>Off-field issues surrounding Mason Greenwood, Jadon Sancho and Antony have also been blamed for United\u2019s poor performances on the pitch, as has a lengthy injury list.<\/p>\n<p>But as Ten Hag comes under more scrutiny than ever, <span>Mail Sport<\/span> explores some of the key questions being asked of him.<\/p>\n<p><span>Why leave Varane and Reguilon on the bench against City?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>United\u2019s defence has been worst hit by injuries this season, with Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez sorely missed. It made Ten Hag\u2019s decision to leave out Raphael Varane, arguably his best and most experienced defender available, and reprise Leicester City\u2019s central defensive partnership of 2018-19, by playing Harry Maguire with Jonny Evans, surprising.<\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag\u2019s reasoning was he wanted a natural right-footer on the right, and vice versa on the left, against City\u2019s press. But this doesn\u2019t explain why Varane could not have partnered Evans, or why right-footed Victor Lindelof played at left back instead of left-footed Sergio Reguilon for 73 minutes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193377-0-image-m-104_1698702595662.jpg\" height=\"457\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Raphael Varane was left on the bench by Ten Hag for the derby encounter for tactical reasons<\/p>\n<p><span>Why did United change their central midfield so early?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag was criticised for bringing on Mason Mount for the more defensive-minded Sofyan Amrabat at half-time when United were still in the game at 1-0.<\/p>\n<p>Mount went to No 10 and Christian Eriksen dropped into a pivot alongside Scott McTominay. However, neither Eriksen nor McTominay could give United\u2019s defence the protection it needed against a team like City in the absence of the injured Casemiro, and Ten Hag\u2019s side were overrun.<\/p>\n<p>United\u2019s problems in the middle have raised questions over Ten Hag making Casemiro and Eriksen two of his first signings after both players had turned 30.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193591-0-image-a-110_1698702730445.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>United changed their midfield in the second half with Scott McTominay being tasked with giving his defence protection<\/p>\n<p><span>What is Mount\u2019s role?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>From the moment United paid Chelsea \u00a360million to sign Mount in the summer, questions have been asked about where he will play in Ten Hag\u2019s side and there are still no clear answers. He has been on the bench for the last three games and was anonymous after coming on for the second half of the derby.<\/p>\n<p>At one point as City attacked again, Mount looked left and right to his team-mates and shrugged his shoulders mid-run as if to say: \u2018I don\u2019t know who I\u2019m meant to be marking!\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193233-0-image-m-106_1698702622645.jpg\" height=\"474\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>From the moment United bought Mason Mount, questions have been asked over his best position<\/p>\n<p><span>What was the plan against City?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag raised eyebrows on Sunday by claiming \u2018the game plan went how we wanted\u2019 and that United had fought \u2018toe-to-toe\u2019 with City up until the moment they conceded a soft penalty.<\/p>\n<p>Most observers saw it differently as Pep Guardiola\u2019s side dominated again, with former United defender Jaap Stam telling MUTV: \u2018It was hard to watch this game. City dominated everywhere on the pitch. We didn\u2019t see any aggression in this game. If you talk to the players or the coaches or the manager, they will say we wanted it too, but from the stands it didn\u2019t look like they really wanted to go for it.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193581-0-image-a-111_1698702735777.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>United were easily beaten and outsmarted by their cross-city rivals in Sunday&#8217;s derby<\/p>\n<p><span>After spending \u00a3400m on transfers, what is United\u2019s best XI?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag says he has never played his best team, but does he actually know what it is? The Dutchman has been in situ for 18 months and there is still no clear picture of how United want to play.<\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag was appointed based on his track record at Ajax, so his assertion that United will never play the same kind of football as his old club may set alarm bells ringing, not least because he has signed so many players with experience of the Dutch league.<\/p>\n<p>So, if not Ajax, what are United meant to be? \u2018We\u2019re now into his second season and none of us can explain what Manchester United try to do in terms of how they play,\u2019 Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports. \u2018They are playing underdog football and they have done since he came in.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><span>Is Fernandes the best choice for captain?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Former United skipper Keane led renewed calls for Fernandes to be stripped of the armband after he put in another petulant display that brought back memories of his antics in the 7-0 defeat at Anfield. The Portugal star continues to be one of Ten Hag\u2019s better performers, but doubts persist over his temperament and suitability to lead the team.<\/p>\n<p>Fernandes cut a frustrated figure on Sunday when he played wide on the right for the fourth Manchester derby to try to blunt City, while also accommodating Eriksen and then Mount at No 10.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193235-0-image-a-107_1698702638944.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Questions have been asked over whether Bruno Fernandes should be Man United captain<\/p>\n<p><span>How do you get Rashford firing again?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Nobody epitomises United\u2019s drop-off this season better than Marcus Rashford, who has scored just once in 13 games after finishing Ten Hag\u2019s first campaign as the 30-goal top-scorer and subsequently signing a new \u00a3300,000-a-week contract.<\/p>\n<p>Rashford\u2019s body language once again belies deeper issues, as it did at his lowest ebb two years ago. He offered very little in the derby and indications that he held a private birthday party at top Manchester nightspot Chinawhite after Sunday\u2019s game weren\u2019t the best look, either.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193239-0-image-a-108_1698702642066.jpg\" height=\"427\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>Nobody epitomises United\u2019s drop-off this season better than Marcus Rashford<\/p>\n<p><span>Does Sancho have a future at United?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>As United struggle for creativity and goals, it seems ridiculous to have had a \u00a373m winger training on his own at the academy for the last two months.<\/p>\n<p>Sancho will not apologise for effectively branding his manager a liar in public, and Ten Hag won\u2019t have the player back until he does. The manager has been commended for the discipline he has introduced at United, but this saga has been allowed to drag on and is benefitting neither party.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/21\/77193577-0-image-a-109_1698702718096.jpg\" height=\"423\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<p>The saga surrounding Jadon Sancho&#8217;s future is benefitting neither the player or United<\/p>\n<p><span>What constitutes success this season?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Ten Hag marginally over-achieved in his first season by winning the Carabao Cup and finishing third in the Premier League, but it has set the bar higher for his second campaign.<\/p>\n<p>Although the 53-year-old insists United are going \u2018in the right direction\u2019, they are eighth in the league and face a battle to progress in the Champions League.<\/p>\n<p>As they prepare to face Newcastle in the cup again, Ten Hag desperately needs some consistency to get back on track.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/1s\/2023\/10\/30\/23\/77196445-12690643-image-a-24_1698707315098.jpg\" height=\"3791\" width=\"634\"><\/p>\n<h3>IT&#8217;S ALL KICKING OFF!\u00a0<\/h3>\n<p><span><span>It&#8217;s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span>It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.co.uk\/i\/pix\/2017\/08\/02\/636x90_facebook_ad_sport.png\" width=\"636\" height=\"90\"><br \/>\nSource: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/sport\/football\/article-12690643\/Erik-ten-Hag-Manchester-United-CHRIS-WHEELER-Old-Trafford.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Erik ten Hag has so much mess to clear up at TOXIC Manchester United: CHRIS WHEELER looks at the key <span class=\"more-text\">&hellip;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":297672,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.8 - 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