Erik ten Hag: Will Manchester United manager take his second chance at Old Trafford this season?

Erik ten Hag remained Man Utd manager this summer after convincing INEOS he was building something at Old Trafford, after a dreadful Premier League season was rescued by a surprise FA Cup final win over Man City in May.

It was hardly a secret that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS – the new co-owners – spoke to potential replacements as they assessed whether to stick or twist with the incumbent boss after purchasing a 25 per cent stake in the club.

But with their feet under the table, recruitment firmly underway and a full pre-season campaign to assess them on, what is the plan for Ten Hag’s Man Utd 2.0 if he is going to be the man to realise their ambitions this season?

Could a false 9 be the missing link?

Gary Neville called United’s structure out of possession “schoolboy” towards the back end of last season, echoing many others in criticising the often huge gaps between Man Utd’s lines, and sometimes within midfield itself.

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Players looked eager to press but would track opponents individually rather than as a team, leaving them exposed with large holes to play through – and saw only 20th-placed Sheffield United concede more shots across the whole campaign.

Playing Bruno Fernandes as a false nine in the FA Cup final plugged some of those gaps through the extra midfield body. It coincided with a more disciplined defensive performance across the team and saw them deservedly beat Manchester City, despite having barely a quarter of the ball.

That more solid set-up has continued for much of pre-season. In defeats, but strong performances, against Liverpool and Arsenal in the US, the high-pressing style Ten Hag championed at Ajax has finally been on display from his Man Utd side and opponents have found it difficult to play through the naturally tighter 4-5-1.

During those games and pre-season, Jadon Sancho took on the false nine role and impressed against Rangers and Liverpool, linking up well with Mason Mount and Amad Diallo.

Ten Hag repeated the tactic during last Saturday’s Community Shield against Pep Guardiola’s side, with Fernandes and Mount, whose energy without the ball undoubtedly helps, rotating between themselves as false nines.

The change has seen attacking patterns of play blossom, with that deeper role helping to link play in forward areas rather than the often isolated No 9 we often saw last season and Marcus Rashford looking forlorn.

The formation choice has been as much by default as design, given Ten Hag has not had a No 9 at his disposal for most of pre-season with Rasmus Hojlund injured and Joshua Zirkzee only returning in time to be an unused sub during the Community Shield after an extended post-Euro 2024 break.

But management has always had a sizeable element of chance to it, so has Ten Hag found a system he can use in those moments when Man United need more defensive solidarity?

Plenty hangs on Ten Hag’s Ugarte pursuit

In the Community Shield defeat to Man City, Casemiro finally looked like the man United purchased two years ago to plug the gap at the base of the midfield. But questions remain about whether age and injuries have caught up with the 32-year-old.

After some disappointing displays last season, which drew criticism from Jamie Carragher, he cannot be relied on as the defensive shield Man Utd need if they want to get back into the Champions League. United know it, and have made PSG ball-winner Manuel Ugarte a target to fill that role instead.

As told in Nick Wright’s excellent analysis of the Uruguayan, Ugarte’s total of 98 tackles was the highest by anyone in Ligue 1 last season. He managed that despite starting only 21 games out of 34, for a side who spent roughly 66 per cent of the time in possession.

Elsewhere, Sofyan Amrabat was drafted in as a Casemiro replacement last season, but a strong FA Cup final showing was not enough to convince Ten Hag to turn his loan spell from Fiorentina into a permanent one.

And United have lined up Youssouf Fofana and Sander Berge as alternative defensive midfielder targets, in case their pursuit of Ugarte has to end.

But Ugarte is known for his instinctive sense of positioning – something United badly need after being caught upfield in transition time after time last season. Without him, or someone of his ilk, they will struggle to tighten up.

Another season beset by injury issues?

The first ball of the Premier League season has not even been kicked but already Ten Hag has another mounting injury list after dealing with so many absentees last season.

Hojlund will miss the start of the season, Luke Shaw will not be back until after September’s international break due to a calf injury and new arrival Leny Yoro is ruled out for much of 2024. He was meant to be the defensive rock to shore things up at the back. His pace would allow United to sit higher, and his ability on the ball would allow them to pass through the lines better – something Ten Hag has always wanted to build on.

In his absence, Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire become integral to the Man Utd defence. They are an able pairing on paper, but only started once together last season as their own injury issues cause defensive problems.

Matthijs De Ligt may be the solution in a reunion with Ten Hag – but without that, it is only Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans in reserve.

With Aaron Wan-Bissaka also departing for West Ham, the full-back area could be light in numbers – but the arrival of Noussair Mazraoui plus Martinez’s ability to play as an inverted left-back may be a solution in Shaw’s absence.

The kids are alright?

Kobbie Mainoo was arguably the shining light of last season after his impressive breakthrough from the academy, and his successor has already staked a claim to be the next young player off the production line.

Toby Collyer has been excellent in pre-season operating alongside Casemiro in a double pivot, and even if the Brazilian stays at Old Trafford, his 20-year-old midfield rival has potentially already overtaken him in the pecking order.

He is more of a stopper than a creative player, but tidy with the ball and ended up with a 100 per cent pass completion against Rangers.

“I always want to make pathways for young players, but they have to earn it,” Ten Hag said after that 2-0 win. “Collyer has now earned an opportunity, and we will see how we can progress.”