Daily Junction.mobi portalSports · July 8, 2026 · Tom Bennett · 9 min
Erik ten Hag won the League Cup in his first season and the FA Cup in his second, but Manchester United finished 8th in 2023-24 - their worst Premier League finish in 34 years. The 2024-25 season will determine whether Ten Hag can turn United into title contenders or whether he becomes another failed post-Ferguson manager.
Erik ten Hag enters his third season as Manchester United manager under intense pressure to deliver Champions League qualification and show clear signs of tactical progress after a disastrous 2023-24 campaign that saw United finish 8th in the Premier League — their worst league finish in 34 years. Ten Hag won two trophies in his first two seasons (the League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024), but United's league form has been inconsistent, their tactical identity remains unclear, and several expensive signings have failed to deliver. The club's new ownership structure, led by INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, conducted a post-season review in June 2024 and considered replacing Ten Hag with Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, or Gareth Southgate before deciding to give the Dutch manager one more season. But the message was clear: top four is the minimum expectation for 2024-25. If United finish outside the Champions League places again, Ten Hag will be sacked, regardless of cup success. Here is a comprehensive analysis of Ten Hag's tenure so far, the challenges he faces in 2024-25, and whether he can turn United into title contenders or whether he will become another failed post-Ferguson manager.
Erik ten Hag was appointed Manchester United manager in May 2022 after three successful years at Ajax, where he won three Eredivisie titles and reached the 2019 Champions League semi-finals. United's owners, the Glazer family, identified Ten Hag as the man to restore the club to the top of English football after a decade of underachievement following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.
Ten Hag's first season was a success by United's recent standards:
United finished 3rd and qualified for the Champions League for the first time since 2021. They won the League Cup — their first trophy since 2017 — and Rashford had a career-best season. Ten Hag implemented a 4-2-3-1 system with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen as the double pivot, Rashford on the left wing, and Bruno Fernandes as the number 10.
However, there were warning signs:
Ten Hag's second season was a disaster:
United won only 18 of 38 league matches and finished 8th — below Newcastle, Chelsea, Brighton, and West Ham. They were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage (finishing bottom of their group with 4 points from 6 matches) and exited the League Cup in the fourth round.
The only bright spot was the FA Cup, where United beat Liverpool (4-3 in extra time), Coventry (on penalties after blowing a 3-0 lead), and Manchester City (2-1 in the final) to win the trophy. This FA Cup triumph saved Ten Hag's job — INEOS had prepared to sack him before the final, but the victory bought him one more season.
United's 8th-place finish was caused by multiple factors:
United suffered 45 separate injuries to first-team players in 2023-24, the most in the Premier League. Key players missed extended periods:
United were forced to play Sofyan Amrabat (a defensive midfielder) at left-back and Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans (35 years old) as the centre-back partnership for long periods.
Ten Hag switched formations repeatedly in 2023-24, using 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and 3-5-2 at different points. This created defensive disorganisation — United conceded 58 league goals, the most by any team finishing in the top half.
The main tactical issue was the gap between defence and midfield. Ten Hag instructed his team to press high, but when the press was broken, there was a 20-30 yard gap between the defensive line and the midfielders, allowing opponents to exploit the space. United conceded numerous goals from counter-attacks and transitions.
Several key players underperformed in 2023-24:
André Onana, the £47m goalkeeper signed from Inter Milan, made high-profile errors early in the season (including a mistake in the Champions League against Galatasaray that cost United qualification).
United scored only 57 league goals in 2023-24 — the fewest by any team finishing in the top 8. They relied on Rasmus Højlund (a 20-year-old striker signed for £72m) and Bruno Fernandes, but lacked consistent goal threats from wide areas.
INEOS, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, took control of Manchester United's football operations in February 2024 and immediately began restructuring the club. They appointed Dan Ashworth (sporting director from Newcastle) and Jason Wilcox (technical director from Southampton) to oversee recruitment and conducted a post-season review of Ten Hag's performance.
After considering replacements, INEOS decided to give Ten Hag one more season — but backed him with the most expensive transfer window in United's history.
Total spend: £200m+
INEOS also sold or released underperforming players:
The squad overhaul is the most significant since Ten Hag's first summer in 2022.
Ten Hag's biggest challenge in 2024-25 is to implement a clear tactical identity. At Ajax, he played a possession-based 4-3-3 with high pressing and quick transitions. At United, he has struggled to replicate this system due to:
Ten Hag is expected to use a 4-3-3 system with:
This system will allow United to:
However, the system requires consistency — Ten Hag must stick with this formation and give players time to adapt, rather than switching systems every few weeks.
The 2024-25 season will determine Ten Hag's future at Manchester United. INEOS have made clear that top four is the minimum expectation. If United finish outside the Champions League places, Ten Hag will be sacked.
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