Erik ten Hag watched his Manchester United side lose further ground in the race for Champions League football by losing 3-1 to Manchester City on Sunday at the Etihad.
Amazingly, Liverpool and Arsenal fans were praying for a Manchester United win to boost their Premier League title hopes.
Whilst Tottenham and Aston Villa fans were hoping for more misery on the Old Trafford-based club, as they aim to secure Champions League football themselves, with Marcus Rashford providing them with a scare.
In the end, the latter got their wish, as more pressure was piled on Erik ten Hag, with Michael Owen calling for his head, as he told Premier League Productions (03/03/24 at 6:05 pm).
The former striker says ‘a couple of months ago’, he felt that Manchester United should have parted ways with the Dutchman.
He pointed out how watching Tottenham, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City provides him with an understanding of how they want to play.
But nearly two years into Erik ten Hag’s role, he still doesn’t understand what the plan is or what type of football they want to play.
Should Erik ten Hag be sacked by Manchester United?
“I said it a couple of months ago,” responded Owen about getting rid of ten Hag. “I think they should. Not all the manager’s fault, of course not. The players go out and play. His signings have been pretty average.
“I still watch Manchester United and I have no idea what they want to do, at all. If someone says to me, who doesn’t watch football, what type of team are Manchester City, I would go ‘oh, they are a ball-playing team and they love attacking’. Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa. I can have an opinion on every single (one of those teams).
“When someone says ‘what are Man United?’ I would go ‘I don’t know’. Are they a possession-based team? Counter-attacking? Sit back? Rubbish team? An average team? I genuinely don’t. That has to come from the top, the manager and how we are going to play a certain way.
“I just don’t see what that direction is. If they go to Man City, play open attacking football, five or six great moves and lose 6-2, then that’s their print now. Okay, they aren’t good enough because of certain players, but that’s how we are going to play. Exactly (like Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham).”
Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham are miles ahead
When it comes to the style of play, dealing with injuries, recruitment and how the season will end for these respective clubs, they are miles ahead.
It’s amazing that Manchester United still manage to find themselves sixth given how individualistic they are as a so-called team.
A huge game against Everton awaits them at the weekend. Drop further points and then things might just become toxic.
Not forgetting that tenth-placed Wolves are six points behind Man United in the table, who are the same number of points behind fifth-placed Spurs, but they have played a game less.
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