Manchester United have sacked Erik ten Hag and placed Ruud van Nistelrooy in temporary charge of the team. The decision comes after a 2-1 defeat to West Ham United handed the Reds their fourth defeat in nine league games.
The Athletic's David Ornstein reports that Ten Hag was informed of the decision this morning. Van Nistelrooy will be in charge of the Red Devils on an interim basis while the rest of the staff will be staying put.
Ten Hag was handed a one-year contract extension in the summer after guiding United to the FA Cup. There was optimism that he'd oversee a turnaround at Old Trafford under the INEOS regime but the club have made the worst start to a Premier League campaign in their history.
Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag
Manchester United fell to a 2-1 loss away at West Ham on Sunday (October 27). Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring for the Hammers before Casemiro equalized.
VAR controversy struck when Matthijs de Ligt was adjuged to have fouled Danny Ings. Jarrod Bowen netted a winner from the spot to put Ten Hag at risk with his side 14th in the Premier League. They had been held to a 1-1 draw by Fenerbahce midweek in the Europa Leagie, meaning they are without a win in Europe for a year.
A club statement on Manchester United's website reads:
"Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager. Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited. Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future."
Club statement: Erik ten Hag.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 28, 2024
Red Devil Armada Verdict
This is the right decision given the lack of any sign of a turnaround under Ten Hag and it allows INEOS to conduct their rebuild with a complete reset. The Dutch tactician was a hit with fan, ending a six-year trophy drought with 2023's Carabao Cup triumph.
However, you'd be hard pressed to defend Ten Hag's United from their performances during his tenure. He decided not to implement the Ajax style that earned him such plaudits at the Johan Cruyff Arena and results haven't been good enough.
The decision now turns to who will replace Ten Hag and ex-Barcelona boss Xavi appears to be the frontrunner. He's available after leaving Camp Nou in the summer and has a La Liga title win under his belt.