Erik ten Hag may have watched Manchester United many times in preparing for his new role as head coach next season, but that might not have been enough to prepare him for his first-hand view of the situation.
Ralf Rangnick’s era as interim coach ended with yet another defeat after a 1-0 loss away to Crystal Palace. It means the German oversaw a run of just one win in their last six games to the end of the season, highlighting the variety of issues at the club. A season in which they finished with a goal difference of zero, were beaten 5-0 and 4-0 home and away by Liverpool and were 35 points adrift of Man City shows the steep climb Ten Hag is taking on.
Fortunately for the Red Devils, West Ham and Wolves also lost and that was enough to preserve sixth place for Man United after a dreadful season. Europa League football will follow next year, which offers a clear route into the Champions League for Ten Hag to target, as well as the silverware that comes with it. But on this basis, that will be a frightening prospect if they cannot match up against a team of Palace's quality.
Not even Ten Hag sitting in the stands in his suave tan suit could inspire the players to produce a performance that would suggest they are worthy of keeping their place in the Dutchman’s squad next year. If anything, the opposite is probably more true. Rangnick is planning talks with the 52-year-old and perhaps there he will gain a better insight into which players can be discarded, likely to include Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
But it is clear major changes are needed before United can even thinking about winning trophies again — they first need to relearn how to win a single game. It will require patience as Ten Hag brings his brand of football to Old Trafford and a significant summer spend to bring in at least six — and possibly 10 — players that will help integrate such a system. And yet, there are also clear divisions in the dressing room as the defeat at Palace underlined.
United goalkeeper David de Gea, never one to mince his words, made an astonishing plea to disgruntled players in the squad to leave if they are not committed, telling them they “don’t have to stay”. "The best thing that happened today is the season has finished," said De Gea. “I cannot wait [to work with Ten Hag]. I am excited for the next season, new manager, and new players.
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“Hopefully, we will improve and put Manchester United in a better position. We need to trust in the future. The new manager and staff are already looking for new players. Hopefully, they bring good ones with good character. Ones who want to stay, stay at the club. Ones that don’t want to stay go out. You don’t have to stay here. I want to forget this season and be 100% ready for the next season and be positive. It has been horrible, a very bad season in all ways, it has been very tough. It is time to rest and prepare your minds for next season.”
Ten Hag seems to be confident enough in his ability to solve the issues at United, but they are daunting enough for any world-class manager, let alone one who hasn’t coached a top five European club before. "I think that with me in charge ... I made Ajax play the Ajax way," he said last month. "With always the intention to play great, and to play good. With adventure and beauty. There is a bigger winning mentality here now."
That seems very far away for United right now. A club that has been free-falling for the past six months will require a sharp turnaround in time for the new campaign and Ten Hag, given the funds and backing he has been promised, may need more than one season to put things right as De Gea hoped. The goalkeeper has spent 11 years at the club and it is rarely looked so bleak — he will be hoping the Dutchman is true to his word about getting United back on track.
