Erik ten Hag has been at Manchester United for less than six months, but has already tasted the highs and lows associated with managing England’s most successful club.
Tasked with cleaning up the mess left by the reigns of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, Ten Hag inherited a squad coming off United’s worst ever Premier League season. The Dutchman wanted - and needed - to hit the ground running to help convince a fanbase which has become increasingly disillusioned with the disjointed strategy behind the scenes.
Before a competitive ball was kicked, he had won over some doubters, thrashing Liverpool in his very first pre-season match. But that optimism quickly dissipated when they were beaten by Brighton on the first day of the new season.
And the optimism transformed into a full-blown meltdown when they were humbled by Brentford, beaten 4-0 on one of United’s darkest days in their recent history. Just two Premier League games into his reign the vultures were circling and there were quickly doubts whether he would last a full season.
But just when he needed it, Ten Hag got the reaction he needed, winning four league games on the spin, including an impressive win over Arsenal at Old Trafford. That cautious optimism has now returned ahead of what will be a pivotal two-month period of his tenure.
Between now and the break for the World Cup, United will play 13 games in total, with a match coming every three days, across three competitions. Mirror Football takes a look at how Ten Hag will combat a crippling fixture schedule and the players he will need to turn to in order to get out the other side unscathed.
October fixtures in full: Man City (A) Oct 2, Omonia Nicosia (A) Oct 6, Everton (A) Oct 9, Omonia Nicosia (H) Oct 13, Newcastle (H) Oct 16, Tottenham (H) Oct 19, Chelsea (A) Oct 22, Sheriff (H) Oct 27, West Ham (H) Oct 30.
It doesn’t get much tougher than United’s first fixture post-international break. In Manchester City, the Red Devils face off against arguably the best side in world football.
United fans will get their first glimpse of Erling Haaland, a player sure to wreak havoc against them for the next 10 years. Realistic supporters will understand there is still a gulf between the two clubs, but will be expected to be competitive in a fixture they have a decent recent history in.
It may be a month removed from the transfer window closing, but the discussion surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo continues apace. The manager has opted to use Ronaldo from the bench for much of this season, but with Marcus Rashford struggling for fitness - now may be the time for the 37-year-old.
Ten Hag will then need to rotate his squad for the back-to-back Europa League clashes against minnows Nicosia, with the youngsters needing to make an impact. This would have also been an opportune time for Harry Maguire to send a reminder, but the England international is now set to be on the sidelines for two weeks due to injury.
Everton, Newcastle and West Ham all present opportunities to continue picking up points, while clashes against Tottenham and Chelsea will be a clear gauge of where United are in their current progression.
November fixtures in full: Real Sociedad (A) Nov 3, Aston Villa (A) Nov 6, Aston Villa (H) Nov 10, Fulham (A) Nov 13.
The final four fixtures before his players fly to Qatar could ultimately decide whether part two of his first season in charge will be battling on four fronts or one. United close out their European group stage campaign vs Real Sociedad, the only side to get the best of them since the Brentford debacle.
They then face Steven Gerrard’s Villa twice in four days, once in the league and then in the Carabao Cup. A trip to the capital to face Fulham will be their final pre-World Cup fixture and will present Ten Hag’s charges the chance to leave a positive impression before the six-week break.
