Sir Alex Ferguson

Erik ten Hag will be Manchester United’s fifth permanent manager and eighth overall since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

To say he’ll have his work cut out for him is like saying Liverpool were slightly better than United on Tuesday.

Put simply, United are a mess right now — worse than at any point since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. United may still have an outside chance at the Top Four, but the gulf between them and the likes of Man City and Liverpool has never looked wider.

And despite having a bloated squad and gigantic payroll, the cupboard is actually quite bare. As Ralf Rangnick stated in the aftermath of Tuesday’s disastrous defeat at Anfield, United could require at least ten new players if they’re really going to rebuild the squad. Indeed, other than David de Gea, Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho, Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo (who may or may not fit ten Hag’s project), there are a lot of players who are big on ego and wages, but have been exposed as being unable to play at the highest level.

Despite that, the players possess a level of entitlement that only seems to get larger as their on-field performances get worse. The Old Trafford ship is leakier than the Titanic and several players have already made it clear (anonymously, of course) that would prefer Mauricio Pochettino and aren’t impressed by ten Hag. As if the players have a right to judge a manager who has actually won trophies in the last five years and has done better in Europe despite having a fraction of United’s budget.

Ten Hag will have to rely on every ounce of his team-building and tactical skills while dealing with relentless pressure from the media and former United players second guessing his every move. Let’s hope he gets enough time and support to succeed. Otherwise, we’ll be back here in another two or three years.