Manchester United may have won the FA Cup last season, defeating rivals Manchester City at Wembley in a 2-0 display. However, the Red Devils suffered their worst league finish in Premier League history, and manager Erik ten Hag is very fortunate to have kept his job after coming eighth. New owner Jim Ratcliffe brings fresh optimism to United, who look to improve their standings in Premier League betting ahead of the 2024/25 with Ten Hag at the helm.
Indeed, the two years with the Dutchman in charge have been a mixed bag. United have won two trophies in as many seasons – the FA Cup following victory over Newcastle in the 2023 EFL Cup – and the consensus is that there is plenty of potential in the side. However, Ten Hag must improve results and make United a side that can compete consistently in order to keep his job.
In this article, we look ahead to the new campaign and assess where Ten Hag must improve to remain in charge in the Old Trafford dugout.
Find a winning formation
One of the biggest frustrations among United fans is the uncertainty around which team will be lining up in each game. Ten Hag’s time at Ajax was defined by versatile players who could work across multiple formations. However, that isn’t the case with this group of players, and some consistency will be needed to put together a winning run.
United kick off their season at home to Fulham—a perfect opportunity to start their campaign in style. Alex Iwobi’s 97th-minute goal last season earned the Cottagers a rare win on the road at Old Trafford, and overcoming them will be one of Ten Hag’s priorities. Tough tests will follow against Brighton and Liverpool.
Integrating new signings
New owner Ratcliffe has wasted no time investing in the squad, with a plethora of new faces putting pen to paper at Carrington already this summer.
Leny Yoro arrives from Lille for a reported £50 million, bolstering United’s centre-back options following the departure of Raphael Varane after three seasons with the Red Devils.
BREAKING: Manchester United have signed Leny Yoro from Lille for €70m (£58.9m) 🚨 pic.twitter.com/7WqJnprUyD
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 18, 2024
The Frenchman is joined by Joshua Zirkzee, with the striker set to partner Rasmus Højlund after signing for £36 million from Bologna. Thiago Motta’s side finished fifth in Serie A last season and earned a place in the Champions League, with Zirkzee scoring 11 times and earning praise for his performances.
With the likes of Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial leaving the club, big wages are freed up for United to invest in new talent. It is now up to Ten Hag to get the best out of the players at his disposal, having spent over £500 million assembling his current squad.
Keep the faith from the board
Alongside Ratcliffe, several key appointments have been made to ensure United’s long-term stability, including a new sporting director in Dan Ashworth.
Having impressed at Newcastle, Ashworth has shown his faith in Ten Hag, but the Dutchman will know he needs to maintain that by performing well at the start of the season.
“Our first big decision of the summer was to extend Erik ten Hag’s contract as men’s first-team manager to June 2026, reflecting our strong belief in him as one of Europe’s top coaches and the partner we want to continue working with to get the team back to the levels expected.”
Ashworth said. “We are all clear that last season fell below the required standards in the Premier League and Champions League.
“But by winning the FA Cup in such impressive fashion, our players and staff showed what they are capable of when everyone pulls together and performs to their potential.
“Our collective challenge is to reach those levels much more consistently.”
The pressure will be on him from the start, knowing that a disappointing start to the new campaign may mean the end of his time at Old Trafford.