Why this really could be the end for Erik ten Hag at Manchester United

As Christian Eriksen looked to the sky and 2,000 travelling Twente fans erupted in the top corner of Old Trafford on Wednesday night, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was emotionless on the sidelines.

Ten Hag isn’t usually one for exuberant shows of emotion from the dugout, but this time his blank stare felt different. This time the Dutch coach surely knows he is on borrowed time with English football’s biggest club.

New United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe spent most of the summer refusing to be drawn on whether Ten Hag would remain in charge despite having beaten Manchester City in last season’s FA Cup final.

That win at Wembley was arguably the best United have played in Ten Hag’s 24 months and yet still the INEOS owner was reportedly speaking to the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino and Kieran McKenna.

With none of those coaches keen on the position, it was left for Ten Hag to start this campaign as manager almost by default.

And really, that’s how his team has played in the opening weeks of 2024/25.

Meandering through matches without direction, without meaning, without too much effort either – almost as if they know what is around the corner.

United have played seven games in all competitions so far and have looked accomplished in one and a half of those.

The fact that Barnsley are so far the only side United have put in an entire 90 minute performance against really does say everything.

FC Twente, currently the fourth best side in the Netherlands, went to Old Trafford on Wednesday night, dominated the second half, created countless chances and should have won come full-time.

With fixtures against Tottenham, Porto and Aston Villa in the next 10 days, we must surely be coming to the end of the Ten Hag Revolution at Manchester United.

Has Ten Hag reached the end of the road or does he need more time? And who should United be targeting to replace him?