Kolkata: A terrible penalty decision hastened the end but even if Manchester United had finished 1-1 at West Ham on Sunday, Erik ten Hag would have been living on borrowed time. So, Monday’s sacking would have surprised few.

“Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men’s first-team manager,” a statement from club said. “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.”

Eighth was the lowest United had finished in the Premier League. That was last term. They are 14th now having scored fewer goals than 18 of the 20 teams in the competition and 21st among 36 teams in Europa League. Ten Hag’s deputy Ruud van Nistelrooy will be in charge and if last summer was any indication, the search for a replacement could be difficult.

Manchester United had triggered an year’ extension on Ten Hag’s contract, which was due to expire in 2025, after speaking to a number of managers. But Thomas Frank, Kieran McKenna, Roberto de Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino were, as per media reports, not been keen on the most successful Premier League club. Two summers back, neither was Frenkie de Jong forcing United to spend £63m on Casemiro.

But, of course, this is Manchester United so don’t rule Zinedine Zidane or Xavi being unable to resist trying to be the saviour. This, remember, is a lure that none from David Moyes, Ryan Giggs, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick – all of United’s appointments since Alex Ferguson left in 2013 – could resist.

Retaining Ten Hag, 54, though was symptomatic of the malaise at United. A manager who had lost 0-7 at Liverpool, supervised the worst start to the league since 1986-87, finished the campaign with a negative goal difference and had exited the Champions League at the first hurdle usually does not stay because he has won the FA Cup beating Manchester City and Liverpool. Van Gaal didn’t after 2015-16 when United had finished fifth.

A club trying to cut costs by laying off staff and ending Ferguson’s role as ambassador could have to shell out approximately £16m in severance pay, way more than if it had removed Ten Hag in the summer.

“We need Daniel Radcliffe not Jim Ratcliffe,” Gary Neville had told Sky Sports in October 2023 suggesting a miracle was necessary at his former club. Neville had spoken of an unsure football department, “toxicity” owners Glazers had brought and pointed to a leaking roof at Old Trafford as a “symbol of United’s apparent regression.” One that Rangnick had said would need open heart surgery.

But it is difficult to look beyond Ten Hag for the chaos on the pitch and for spending £200m in each of the past three summers but still needing to play Jonny Evans; the 36-year-old even emerging player of the match against Aston Villa. With a number of from Ajax players, this was his squad. At Villa, United had a bench worth £400m, £335m of which was spent on players chosen by Ten Hag. And with Van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake, this was his staff as well.

Yet, with changes to the line-up that seemed perplexing and key players losing form the team didn’t look settled. Against Liverpool, Casemiro lost confidence and Dominik Szoboszlai showed United what they lacked in the 0-3 defeat. Yes, injuries played a part but they do not fully explain why United’s concentration levels would drop and why they lacked intensity and athleticism. None of that should have come in the way of Diogo Dalot scoring on Sunday but it also summed up how far United had fallen under Ten Hag after a good first season.

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