'Erik ten Hag has been damaged by two Premier League managers'

The Dutchman’s impact at Manchester United has been put under the microscope by former Red Devils defender Gary Neville.

Gary Neville has suggested the impressive starts of Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi and Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou have ‘damaged’ Erik ten Hag’s credibility for the Manchester United manager’s job.

83 games into his Red Devils career, Ten Hag boasts a 63% win percentage, having secured 52 victories (D9 L22). He restored United’s Champions League status in his first season and won the EFL Cup. Yet, halfway into his sophomore campaign, the pressure is heating up at Old Trafford.

Results in 2023/24 have been below expectations, and now Neville has questioned his impact. The former defender doesn’t think Ten Hag has adopted a style of play at the club. In fact, since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, he believes Louis van Gaal is the only United manager to have implemented a playing style.

Neville has his say on Ten Hag

Speaking on the ‘The Gary Neville Podcast‘, Neville said: “There’s only Louis van Gaal since Sir Alex Ferguson who’s been able to implement a style of play at the club.

“Every other manager, whether it be Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, or David Moyes was there for a short period. Now, Erik ten Hag has been there for 18 months.

“What really damages the likes of Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho, they’ve all spent £300 million, £400m but [Roberto] De Zerbi at Brighton, [Ange] Postecoglou at Spurs, and others like them have come in and in three to four months they’ve got them playing like Real Madrid.

“That’s the problem they’ve got. It’s been shown that you can come in and have an impact on players, patterns of play, [and] style, in three to four months.

United will face Chelsea in their next Premier League match on Wednesday at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag’s side will hope for a strong result, as they look to improve in the Premier League. They sit seventh in the standings. Leaders Arsenal are nine points up the road from them. Aston Villa are five points ahead in the fourth and final Champions League spot.