Man Utd sack Ten Hag as Van Nistelrooy takes interim charge

Manchester United have sacked manager Erik ten Hag in the wake of their dismal start to the season.

Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach while a permanent head coach is recruited.

The decision to sack Ten Hag – who was only given a contract extension in July after surviving a summer review and spent over £600m in transfer fees during his tenure – has been described as ‘difficult and finely balanced’ by Manchester United’s hierarchy. Ten Hag’s sacking is set to cost United in the region of £13.5million.

Ten Hag is understood to have been ‘taken aback’ by the timing of his ousting. However, it is understood that the decision by the club’s board, made less than 24 hours after their controversial 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday, was unanimous.

Crucially, it was felt that the club’s on-field results have not been good enough.

In contrast to the comments from Ten Hag, the hierarchy did not see the team on the right path and felt there were no excuses for the position United are in. They have won just four of their 14 games this season.

“No-one watches United and doesn’t think the players are better than what they are showing,” said Gary Neville. “The lack of identity and style is something that has been a mystery for the last two-and-a-half seasons.”

Sky Sports News understands a shortlist of around five managers has been identified, with Van Nistelrooy seen as a short-term solution until a permanent manager is found.

“We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future,” United said in a short statement.

Ten Hag leaves United 14th in the Premier League as his two-and-a-half-year spell comes to an end.

The 54-year-old former Ajax boss had initially been backed by new co-owners INEOS in the summer, sanctioning around £200m in the most recent transfer window, with spending surpassing £616m since his appointment in April 2022.

The support came despite the group initially speaking to a number of other candidates to replace him on the back of an eighth-placed finish in the Premier League, their worst top-flight position since 1990.

He did however, guide Man Utd to a surprise FA Cup final win over rivals Man City before the season’s conclusion.

Neville’s damning assessment: No style, horrible watch

Sky Sports’ Gary Neville:

“The lack of identity and style is something that has been a mystery for the last two-and-a-half seasons.

“The recruitment has been awful at times but I believe there are a group of players who can play better than they are.

“Lack of style has been the biggest problem. It is a real struggle watching them play and it hasn’t changed in the last 18 months. That has been as bad as the results.

“No-one watches United and doesn’t think the players are better than what they are showing.

“I thought it was coming. Looking at that Tottenham game a few weeks ago I felt I had seen this before. It was a bad day for Manchester United and a bad day for Erik ten Hag.

“Overall, the challenges of the results and performances have meant that the owners have decided to sack him. I don’t think anybody will be truly shocked.”

‘No excuses – other owners would have sacked sooner’

Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol:

“I don’t think Erik ten Hag can have any excuses. He was managing the biggest club in the world and somehow he kept his job after a 7-0 loss to Liverpool (in March 2023). I find that staggering.

“He’s a good man and good to deal with but he can’t have any excuses. A lot of other owners would have cut their losses and sacked him a lot earlier.”

Carra: Daft decision to keep Ten Hag in summer

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher:

“This decision should have happened in the summer. That’s not on Ten Hag, that’s on the new ownership at the club.

“All they’ve done is kicked the can down the road for nine league games and cost themselves £200m.

“It seems daft that they kept him in the job. You feel he had to be top of the league to stop this from happening.

“The style of play was the biggest thing. Not necessarily the results – they’re always the most important in some ways, but you’ve got to think where the team is going.

“It hasn’t been a disaster, he won two trophies in two years but the style of football, how easy they are to play against, there was no way they were ever going to be in contention for the Premier League or Champions League.”

Man Utd’s underperformance in numbers

• Man Utd have won just four of their 14 games this season.

• This is Manchester United’s second-lowest points tally after nine games of a Premier League season (11), with 2019-20 (10) being the only campaign in which they’ve had fewer points at this stage.

• Only Crystal Palace and Southampton (six) have scored fewer Premier League goals than United (eight).

• Man Utd have the biggest difference between Expected Goals and goals scored in the competition – they should have scored six or seven more than they have.

‘Shortlist of five managers identified to replace Ten Hag’

Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy:

Manchester United had been working through contingency plans in recent weeks to prime for Erik ten Tag’s sacking if results and performances did not improve.

Sky Sports News understands a shortlist of around five managers has been analysed, but having Ruud van Nistelrooy in interim charge will offer the leadership team the time and space to follow a thorough process in appointing the next manager.

United had wanted to give Ten Hag at least a full season under the new INEOS-powered set-up, but ultimately did not feel he could steer the campaign in the right direction.

There was shock inside Carrington and Old Trafford that the decision finally came off the back of a game United should have won, with West Ham converting a controversial late penalty on Sunday.

However, it is understood the fact that the team were so dominant at London Stadium yet still suffered defeat was the final piece of convincing the club’s hierarchy that they had to part ways.

Ten Hag was informed late on Monday morning that he would no longer be in post.

Frank coy on Man Utd links

Man Utd’s next six fixtures

• October 30: Leicester (h) 7.45pm, Carabao Cup – live on Sky Sports
• November 3: Chelsea (h) 4.30pm, Premier League – live on Sky Sports
• November 7: PAOK (h) 8pm, Europa League
• November 10: Leicester (h) 2pm, Premier League
• November 24: Ipswich (a) 4.30pm, Premier League – live on Sky Sports
• November 28: Bodo/Glimt (h) 8pm, Europa League