Manchester United on Monday announced the sacking of Dutch manager Erik ten Hag following a string of poor results.
The former Ajax manager, who joined the club in April 2022, departs after two and a half years in charge at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag won two titles with the Red Devils, breaking the club’s six-year trophy drought with the Carabao Cup in 2023 and FA Cup in 2024.
With the termination of his contract now confirmed, Afrosport looks at the numbers behind the tenure of the Dutchman, who will be replaced in the interim by compatriot and former United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy.
🚨 Erik Ten Hag has been sacked by Manchester United!
Good news for Manchester United fans?#MUFC #TenHag pic.twitter.com/jDMPJDfzRl— AfroSport (@AfroSportTV) October 28, 2024
Games played
Ten Hag oversaw 128 matches during his time at United. He managed to register 70 wins, 23 draws, and 35 losses with a win rate of approximately 55%, the most of any manager in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era at the club.
He led them to 44 wins, 27 draws and 14 losses in 85 Premier League matches at a win rate of 52%.
How much did he spend on transfers?
Ten Hag spent over £600 million on new signings across five transfer windows during his time at United.
The Dutchman brought in 21 senior players—either as permanent transfers or loans—with six of them having played for Ajax at a point in their career.
What was his record at United?
Across the two and a half years he spent at Old Trafford, he led United to a third-place finish in his first season before finishing eighth in the 2023-24 campaign, as United recorded their worst ever finish in the Premier League era.
In his first full season in the 2022–23 campaign, ten Hag led United to third in the Premier League with 75 points and to a Carabao Cup triumph.
Meanwhile, last season, they finished eighth with 60 points and failed to make it past the group stages in the UEFA Champions League but won the FA Cup.
Erik ten Hag’s Premier League stats at Man Utd ⬇️
He has departed Old Trafford, after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to West Ham pic.twitter.com/5lNVfbDvL3
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 28, 2024
Why did he get the sack?
There were numerous reports suggesting that the new United hierarchy set up by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to oversee the running of the football aspect of the club was thinking of terminating ten Hag’s contract last summer despite his FA Cup triumph.
They, however, decided to hold on to the Dutchman, handing him an additional one-year contract as well as backing him with funds to get in new players with a newly-built football structure to help him.
Ten Hag has been unable to get the squad running in the right direction as they have managed only four wins in 14 matches in all competitions, playing out five draws and suffering fight defeats, including 3-0 losses to Liverpool and Tottenham at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are currently 14th in the Premier League standings with 11 points and a -3 goal difference after recording three wins, two draws, and four defeats in nine matches. The 13-time Premier League winners were beaten by West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday, as the Hammers recorded their third consecutive home win against the visitors.
In the Europa League, they have failed to register a win having played out draws against FC Twente, Porto, and Fenerbahce, which has left them with only three points and in 21st position in the new format standings.
What next for Manchester United?
United confirmed on Monday that assistant coach and former striker van Nistelrooy will continue as interim manager until a permanent replacement is made.
The former Dutch international won two titles during his time as head coach of PSV Eindhoven, including leading them to two second-place finishes in the Eredivisie.
His first line of duty is to lead the Red Devils out in the EFL Cup round of 16, when they host Leicester City at Old Trafford on Wednesday.
