If Erik ten Hag was feeling the scrutiny he is under as Manchester United manager then he did not show it as he stepped onto the pitches at Carrington for the final training session before a match that has taken on extra significance.
He made his way round his squad to exchange friendly greetings, with pats and handshakes for Manual Ugarte, Diogo Dalot, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford. There was a lightness to the mood, which might be expected when television cameras are rolling, but is notable all the same. “Let’s play,” demanded Rasmus Hojlund when the balls came out.
United face Porto tonight at the Estadio do Dragao in a Europa League contest that might not decide their progress in the competition, but could go some way to influencing the perception of Ten Hag in the eyes of fans and, more importantly, those who make decisions at the club.
Members of United’s hierarchy have been expressing calm and togetherness since the 3-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday lurched the season into the danger zone. After backing Ten Hag in the summer, they want to maintain patience in a process they anticipated would have some dips. They see the work being done in training by Ten Hag and his revamped coaching team of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rene Hake, and Andreas Georgson, and appreciate the standard of tactical detail.
Another bad performance in Portugal, however, risks sending United into crisis and testing that resolve.
The trip to Villa Park on Sunday is equally relevant, both in terms of the Premier League being the most obvious path to Champions League qualification and also as a first-hand experience of what Unai Emery has built by comparison.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is planning to attend the match in Birmingham — his second of the season after having his head in his hands during the 3-0 loss to Liverpool — and his strong opinions have certainly been felt at all levels of the club. Ultimately, it will be Ratcliffe who decides Ten Hag’s fate, in concert with Sir Dave Brailsford and Joel Glazer, taking recommendations from chief executive Omar Berrada and sporting director Dan Ashworth.
It is ultimately Ratcliffe who will decide on Ten Hag’s position (Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
There is daily dialogue between the key figures, and the communication this week with Ten Hag has been normal. Results will dictate decisions, though, and the October international break presents a fortnight for reflection. Typically, club executives witnessing poor form from their teams have chosen to act in these periods, given the space to find replacements.
That question is bound to be asked, at least externally, if Ten Hag’s team lose to Porto and Aston Villa, even though several sources insist those at the top of United are taking a long-term view whatever happens in the next four days.
Amid the attention, Van Nistelrooy’s name has been speculated on as a candidate to step up on an interim basis, and there are some people close to the club who feel that is a possibility should Ratcliffe call time on Ten Hag. Van Nistelrooy has impressed players and directors with his presence and communication.
But it is worth remembering Van Nistelrooy was an appointment by Ten Hag, rather than an executive proposal. The two Dutchmen had not worked together before but, after deciding to refresh his staff, Ten Hag made a call to Van Nistelrooy. The former United striker accepted the chance to be an assistant having appreciated the stresses of management during his one campaign at PSV Eindhoven. Being the No 1 at Old Trafford is another tier of pressure altogether.
Ten Hag, whatever the criticisms of him, has been steadfastly resilient. He has maintained an equilibrium amid the downturns and cut the same approach this week, after what many would view as his lowest moment in charge of United.
On Monday morning, he arrived at Carrington in near darkness at around 7.30am and went through video analysis of the Spurs game with his staff and players to pinpoint areas to improve. Later, he gave an interview to Sky Sports as part of his pre-Villa broadcast obligations. Usually this would come closer to the game, but he will conduct his pre-Villa press conference at the Estadio do Dragao after the Porto game, so brought his television duties forwards so they could be done in England.
Sky released the footage on Wednesday, and Ten Hag explained he watched the game back once to “see where are the problems, then find solutions”. He added: “Sometimes you scroll a little bit back to find a deeper understanding, and I have seen alongside the pitch as well. I have my view. You always need to keep the belief. Stay in the game. That’s the most important message we have to give, because if you lose your faith you lose everything.”
Late on Wednesday evening in Portugal after arriving at his press conference following a long-delayed flight, Ten Hag stressed that he speaks “every day” to the club’s football executives about how to improve the club. He also said that his video analysis of the Spurs defeat underlined the need for players to “keep calm and composed and stay in the game and stick to the plan”.
Ten Hag is known to feel Micky van de Ven’s surging run and Brennan Johnson’s goal zapped his players of confidence and led to rushed football. His attention this week was geared towards guiding his players to maintaining a strong mentality through setbacks. But this is a repeated problem, with unravellings coming in the 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace last season or the 7-0 defeat at Anfield in his debut campaign to name two.
Spurs ripped through United at Old Trafford (Photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Whether his players are capable of executing the system he wants, understand what is being asked clearly enough, or have faith in those instructions, are issues Ten Hag must solve to get positive results.
These are the kinds of topics being discussed with the football leadership team, but Ten Hag is in charge of performance. There are other aspects to occupy directors. On Tuesday, Ashworth and Jason Wilcox, United’s technical director, watched United’s under-21s side face Hertha Berlin in the Premier League International Cup at Salford’s Peninsula Stadium.
The two were joined in the stands by Darren Fletcher, one of Ten Hag’s coaches, and academy director Nick Cox. The presence of Ashworth and Wilcox is a sign of the joined-up approach taken by the new executive when it comes to picking a path for academy players. Fletcher has always taken a keen interest, but he also had a personal focus, with his son Tyler playing as a 60th-minute substitute.
Harry Amass, who did well on United’s U.S. tour to gain traction with supporters, again showed his technical ability at left-back in the 1-1 draw with Hertha. But at 17, a second-year scholar, he is regarded as not yet ready for the physicality of first-team football. The step from youth competition to the Premier League is huge and, despite United’s difficulties in his position, Ten Hag will continue to use the experienced players in his squad.
Diogo Dalot has endured a tough start to the campaign after winning the player of the year award last term. He was guilty of a fatal lack of judgment by allowing Brennan Johnson to run clear to tap in Van de Ven’s cross after just three minutes, and conceded a penalty at Southampton. In mitigation, he is playing on his weaker side after the busiest schedule of any outfield player last season and this.
Toby Collyer operating at left-back in the Carabao Cup tie against Barnsley showed the current paucity of options, but United decided against signing in that area during the window because Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw are expected to be fit at the same time after the international break.
That is the kind of decision taken at board level, in conjunction with the manager, so there is an understanding from the people up top of the possible consequences for Ten Hag on the pitch.
Ten Hag got some good news on Tuesday, with the FA announcing United’s success against a three-match ban for Bruno Fernandes after his red card for serious foul play. Some at United were not confident of winning the appeal given the ruling by VAR during the game, but the club’s written submission to the hearing, with perspective from Fernandes, convinced the regulatory commission an “obvious error” had occurred.
Fernandes is now free to play against Villa (Photo: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Fernandes has been below standards so far this season, and there are questions about his role in a team trying to control possession, but Ten Hag would much rather have him available for selection. Fernandes was in the middle of the training drill open to the media on Wednesday morning, which involved three teams in different coloured bibs trying to beat each other for passing sequences and goals.
All members of Ten Hag’s squad were situated on a small pitch at the same time, with each side alternating their tasks depending on who had possession. Points were accrued for completed one-touch passes while their opponents pressed, and goals could be scored. Hake barked instructions and kept tally.
Fans want to see that type of intensity and aggression translated into games. Benni McCarthy, a coach under Ten Hag for two years at United before leaving this summer, suggested the United manager struggles to inspire in that manner, however.
“In modern football, I believe that players want to see a bit more passion in their coach,” McCarthy told Portuguese outlet ZEROZERO. “They need to feel that the coach is with them and willing to fight alongside them. Tactically, I feel that Erik is at the top. He lacks a bit of that fire, that passion. That’s where we differ, him and I.”
These are the kinds of doubts players have expressed privately since Ten Hag took charge, and after a bad opening to the campaign those concerns remain for some. But they are not currently more serious than last year, which Ten Hag survived and ultimately finished amid ticker tape at Wembley. He has a habit at United of producing a result at just the right moment and it feels like he needs to again.
(Top image: Dan Goldfarb for The Athletic, image: Getty Images)
