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The Statistics Which Show How Badly Manchester United Struggled under Erik Ten Hag

An aerial photograph taken by drone of Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, Britain, 28 October 2024. (EPA)
An aerial photograph taken by drone of Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, Britain, 28 October 2024. (EPA)
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The Statistics Which Show How Badly Manchester United Struggled under Erik Ten Hag

An aerial photograph taken by drone of Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, Britain, 28 October 2024. (EPA)
An aerial photograph taken by drone of Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, Britain, 28 October 2024. (EPA)

Manchester United, the record 20-time English champion, is searching for a sixth permanent manger since the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013 following the firing of Erik ten Hag.

Here are the statistics that show how low things got at United under Ten Hag — and what his successor will need to improve on:

Worst start

The break for international matches this month offered a chance to assess each Premier League team’s start to the season, and it didn’t make good reading for United. After seven games, United had collected eight points — its fewest in the Premier League era (since 1992) by that stage of a season and its lowest tally since the team had seven points from seven games in the 1989-90 season. Ten Hag’s team was in 14th place in the 20-team top division at that point. With a win and a loss since then, United remains in 14th — already 12 points off first-place Manchester City.

Worst finish

Last season, Ten Hag led United to its worst finish — eighth place — in the Premier League era. United had to go back to that 1989-90 season for a lower finish, and that was 13th place under Alex Ferguson in the year he reportedly came close to losing his job.

European failure

It didn’t get any better in Europe for Ten Hag. United finished in last place in its Champions League group last season even though it contained outsiders like FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray. United conceded 15 goals in that group, the most goals it has ever conceded in a single Champions League group stage. It was also a record for an English club. This season, United has drawn each of its three games in the revamped Europa League, against FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce — leaving the team in 21st place in the 36-team league, sandwiched between Viktoria Plzen and Elfsborg.

WHERE ARE THE GOALS?

“Attack, attack, attack” is the chant that has often been heard swirling around Old Trafford down the years, but goals were hard to come by under Ten Hag. With eight goals from its opening nine games, United is currently the third-lowest scorer in the Premier League, with only Crystal Palace and Southampton having fewer.

Last season, United was tied in ninth place in the list of top scorers in the Premier League with 57 goals. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, United has a goal difference of minus 4, having scored 65 goals and conceded 69.

Porous defense

United conceded 58 goals in the league last season — its most in the Premier League era — and there are more stats to highlight Ten Hag’s inability to bring defensive shape to his team. Since Ten Hag’s arrival midway through 2022, United conceded three goals in a game on 24 occasions — more than any manager since Ferguson’s retirement. According to Opta, the Premier League’s stats supplier, United has faced 1,739 shots in their 128 games under Erik ten Hag. Man City has faced 717 fewer shots despite playing six more games in that time.

Late goals

According to Opta, seven of Ten Hag’s 27 losses came via a winner in the 90th minute or later. The last of those came in what proved to be Ten Hag’s final game in charge, when Jarrod Bowen converted a penalty in second minute of stoppage time to earn West Ham a 2-1 victory.

Embarrassing loss

Ten Hag’s tenure got off to a dreadful start with back-to-back losses to Brighton and Brentford in the Premier League in the 2022-23 season. The 4-0 loss at Brentford was arguably the worst under Ten Hag until United arrived at Anfield for a match against its fiercest rival, Liverpool, last season. United lost 7-0 for its heaviest defeat to Liverpool and its worst competitive defeat in more than 90 years.

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Determined Palestine Continue to Battle the Odds in World Cup Quest

Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Palestine v Lebanon - Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar - June 6, 2024 Palestine coach Makram Daboub reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Palestine v Lebanon - Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar - June 6, 2024 Palestine coach Makram Daboub reacts. (Reuters)
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Determined Palestine Continue to Battle the Odds in World Cup Quest

Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Palestine v Lebanon - Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar - June 6, 2024 Palestine coach Makram Daboub reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - World Cup - AFC Qualifiers - Palestine v Lebanon - Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar - June 6, 2024 Palestine coach Makram Daboub reacts. (Reuters)

Palestine's quest to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time underlines the determination to overcome the devastation caused by the Gaza conflict, the president of the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) has told Reuters.

The PFA faced obstacles to on-field success few other national teams have come up against even before Israel launched its military offensive on Gaza last year in response to an attack by armed group Hamas on its southern border.

Coach Makram Daboub and his squad, however, have confounded the odds and retain a chance of representing Palestine at the 2026 finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"The restrictions on our movement, the suffocating policies by the Israelis have paralyzed everything," Jibril Rajoub, the PFA president, said in an interview with Reuters last week.

"We suspended everything, including the national league, but in spite of this we have insisted on continuing our participation in competitions, and that includes the World Cup qualification.

"We have a real problem because we could not bring any athletes from Gaza, and tens of them have lost their lives. In Gaza all sport facilities have been destroyed, including most of the clubs, the stadiums and everything are destroyed.

"In the West Bank, they are suffocating us, we cannot do anything. But this is our determination, our commitment."

Violence has surged in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, with almost daily sweeps by Israeli forces that have involved thousands of arrests and regular gunbattles between security forces and Palestinian fighters.

'MOTIVATION'

While the expanded 48-team format for the 2026 finals offered a golden opportunity for the likes of Palestine to play in the showpiece tournament, plenty of work remains to be done if they are to secure a spot.

Bottom of Group B with two points from four matches, Palestine renew their campaign against Oman in Muscat on Nov. 14 before "hosting" South Korea five days later.

It has been five years since Palestine have been able to host an international in Jerusalem and their clash with the group-leading Koreans will take place in Jordan's capital Amman.

"It will never be like home," Rajoub said. "We like Jordan, we like Amman but we like to play in Jerusalem, we like to play in our home but this is what we have.

"We cannot play at home and this is financially (difficult). For the first time we will play in Jordan, which is close. I hope some of our fans from Palestine can come.

"We have the right to host. We have to overcome with our determination, our people's resilience, our commitment. We have no other choice."

A trip to the World Cup would help ease those financial pressures - each team in Qatar two years ago went home with at least $9 million -- and Palestine have already had some encouraging results in the third phase of Asian qualifying.

A surprise 0-0 draw with the South Koreans in Seoul in their group opener in September was followed by a draw against Kuwait last month.

While securing a direct ticket to the finals is unlikely, Palestine could advance to another round of playoffs with a third or fourth placed finish in the group and are currently only a point behind fourth=placed Oman.

"I think they are doing well," Rajoub said. "This is the first time in our history we have qualified for the third phase in spite of the situation.

"We don't have a national league so it's not easy. Some athletes have lost their lives or their colleagues or mentors or coaches. This also, psychologically, will have an effect but despite this we are trying and playing well.

"It could also be a source of motivation for the athletes."