“I have said this multiple times but this is the final straw. His performance during this match is the last straw” – This is according to Manchester United legend Gary Neville as he claims that Ratcliffe needs to remove a Manchester United figure who performed poorly, scoring just 1 out of 10, in the derby match against Manchester City.
On Sunday, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, faced the challenge of completing the famous London Marathon. He crossed the finish line in four hours and 30 minutes, which, surprisingly, turned out to be less taxing than what he would face later that day.
Shortly after the marathon, Ratcliffe made his way to Wembley Stadium to watch Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry. The match initially appeared to be a straightforward victory for Erik ten Hag’s team, who led 3-0. However, Coventry mounted a stunning comeback, nearly pulling off a significant upset against the Red Devils.
In truth, Manchester United was fortunate not to lose. As the game went into extra time and approached the 121st minute, it seemed that Mark Robins’ side had secured an incredible spot in the final. But then, VAR intervened, disallowing the goal for offside, and the match went to penalties. Casemiro, taking the first penalty for United, saw his shot saved, adding to the tension. Despite this, United narrowly advanced to the final.
This marks Erik ten Hag’s second consecutive final, following last season’s Carabao Cup victory. However, questions remain about his tenure. Despite reaching the FA Cup final, United’s performance under ten Hag has been inconsistent. They were eliminated in the group stages of the Champions League and currently languish in seventh place in the Premier League, 16 points away from securing a place in Europe’s top competition for the next season.
For a club of Manchester United’s stature, a top-four finish is the bare minimum, yet they are far from that goal. The situation shows little sign of improvement, and long-term injuries to key players like Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez have undoubtedly taken a toll, but the team’s overall style of play has also come under scrutiny.
Defense has been a particular area of concern, with United conceding seven goals in injury time since February. Some might attribute this to bad luck, but the underlying issues suggest a deeper problem with ten Hag’s defensive strategies. According to Understat, Manchester United ranks as the fifth-worst team in the Premier League for expected goals against (xGA) at 63.61, only outperforming the three relegation-threatened teams and West Ham. Arsenal, in contrast, has an xGA of just 25.89, highlighting the gap between United and the league’s best teams.
Offensively, United’s struggles are also evident. Despite scoring three goals at Wembley, they are 12th in the league for expected goals (xG), with 50.36. This places them behind even teams like Everton, who are battling relegation.
These statistics paint a grim picture, and ten Hag’s substitution decisions during the match only added to the concerns. Before Coventry’s comeback, he replaced Garnacho with the underperforming Antony and later swapped Kobbie Mainoo for the veteran Christian Eriksen. Although United should have maintained their lead, ten Hag’s willingness to remove two of his most dynamic players this season was telling. Omari Forson and Amad Diallo were brought on during extra time, but by then, it was too late.
The pressure on ten Hag has intensified following the dramatic semi-final at Wembley, with criticism mounting. Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News even rated his handling of the match as 1/10. Whether harsh or not, it seems ten Hag’s time at United may be running out, as the gap between the club and the Premier League’s top teams continues to widen.
