Erik ten Hag is sacked by Manchester United after poor start to season

Dutch coach leaves club following frustrating defeat at West Ham that left Red Devils 14th in Premier League

Erik ten Hag manager of Manchester United gestures during the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Manchester United, in London, Britain, 26 October 2024. EPA/VINCE MIGNOTT EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos, 'live' services or NFTs. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag alonside his assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy, who will take over as interim head coach. Reuters

Erik ten Hag with then Manchester United director of football John Murtough after his unveiling at Old Trafford on May 23, 2022. PA

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag lifts the trophy after winning the League Cup final. PA

Erik ten Hag after Manchester United had been knocked out of the League Cup by Newcastle United at Old Trafford on November 1, 2023. AFP

Manager Erik ten Hag with coaches Steve McClaren and Mitchell van der Gaag at Carrington Training Ground on July 4, 2022. Getty Images

Manager Erik ten Hag speaks to Cristiano Ronaldo during a training session on September 14, 2022. PA

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag speaks to Tyrell Malacia during a Premier League match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on October 2, 2022. AFP

United manager Erik ten Hag talks to substitute Cristiano Ronaldo during the Premier League match against Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on August 27, 2022. AFP

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag kisses the trophy after their FA Cup final win over Manchester City at Wembley stadium on May 25, 2024. AFP

(Left to right) Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez celebrates with manager Erik ten Hag and Antony following the League Cup final win over Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on February 26, 2023. PA

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag with Bruno Fernandes after winning the FA Cup final. AP

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag during their Europa League draw with Fenerbahce in Istanbul on October 24, 2024. Reuters

United manager Erik ten Hag after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final. AFP

Erik ten Hag during his final game as manager of Manchester United, away to West Ham United at London Stadium on October 27, 2024. Getty Images

Manchester United have sacked manager Erik ten Hag following the club's disappointing start to the season that sees them sit 14th in the Premier League table.

The Dutch coach, who took over at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022, saw his side fall to a frustrating 2-1 defeat at West Ham United on Sunday after securing just three wins from their opening nine league games.

They have also won just one of their last eight matches across all competitions and have begun their Europa League campaign with three successive draws.

“Erik ten Hag has left his role as Manchester United men's first-team manager,” said the club in a statement.

“Erik was appointed in April 2022 and led the club to two domestic trophies, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

“We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future.

“Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, while a permanent head coach is recruited.”

Man United managers total spend post Ferguson

Ten Hag left Dutch side Ajax to become the fifth permanent manager at United since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, following David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. German coach Ralf Rangnick had been in interim charge following Solskjaer's sacking in November 2021.

In his first season in charge, Ten Hag guided United to a third-place finish in the Premier League, as well as winning the League Cup after beating Newcastle United 2-0 at Wembley Stadium in what was the club's first trophy in six years.

The cracks quickly started appearing in his second season, though. United failed to make it through to the Champions League knockout stage after they finished bottom of their group – behind Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray – ending their European campaign before Christmas.

Their form in the Premier League was even more problematic as they finished the season eighth in the table in what was their lowest finish since 1990.

With the arrival of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe as co-owner last December, the pressure had been building on Ten Hag with reports suggesting the Dutchman was set to be sacked during the summer following an internal performance review of the whole club.

But Ten Hag then secured a trophy for the second consecutive season when they surprisingly beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, denying their local rivals a domestic double and earning himself a contract extension during the summer.

“In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision for reaching those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together,” said Ten Hag after signing a deal that should have secured his future until 2026.

But there have been few signs that the new campaign was bringing a change in fortunes for Ten Hag who saw his side struggle for form, falling to league defeats against Brighton, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur – the latter two both humiliating 3-0 hammerings at Old Trafford.

In the second tier Europa League, United are 21st of 36 teams in the revamped competition after draws with FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbache, who are coached by former manager Mourinho.

Then on Sunday, Ten Hag's team conceded a controversial injury-time penalty at the London Stadium that Jarrod Bowen converted to earn three points for a Hammers outfit that had been thrashed 4-1 by Spurs the previous weekend.

Biggest club net spends during Ten Hag reign

Ten Hag called the defeat “unfair and unjust” after Matthijs de Ligt's challenge on Danny Ings was judged to be a penalty by referee David Coote after he had been sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR after originally ignoring West Ham appeals, but the fact remains United should have been out of sight by half-time after missing a host of chances.

“That is definitely not a clear and obvious mistake from the on-field referee,” insisted Ten Hag. “That's a third time I have felt injustice in the season and it has a big impact on our team and on our scores and where we are in the table. It's not right.”

Less than a day later, Ten Hag was gone with BBC Sport reporting that club sources were saying that, while it had been a difficult decision, it was a unanimous one with the 54-year-old informed on Monday morning.

With 70 wins from 128 games in charge, Ten Hag's 54.7 per cent win record is actually the second best of any United manager since Ferguson's exit – behind only Mourinho's 58.3 per cent. The Dutchman lost 27.3 per cent of his games though, ahead of only Moyes (29.4 per cent) and Ralf Rangnick (27.6)

Ten Hag also enjoyed a huge amount of backing in the transfer market, spending more than £560 million during his spell, more than any of the other post-Ferguson coaches, with Solskjaer the next highest spender at £400m.