On Sunday, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a co-owner of Manchester United, took on the rigorous challenge of running the esteemed London Marathon. Known for pushing participants to their limits, the marathon saw Ratcliffe finish in four hours and 30 minutes. Yet, the real challenge awaited him later that day.
Just an hour after completing the marathon, Ratcliffe arrived at Wembley Stadium for Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final against Coventry City. The match was highly charged, putting both the team and their Dutch manager, Erik ten Hag, to the test. Despite a strong start by Manchester United, the game underscored the difficulties faced by Ten Hag, who made the tough choice to substitute key players Omari Forson and Amad Diallo during extra time. Unfortunately, this move was too late to impact the outcome.
The intense scrutiny of Ten Hag’s performance was evident before the crucial match, but it intensified at Wembley. Criticism of his managerial choices has escalated, with Samuel Luckhurst from the Manchester Evening News giving him a harsh 1/10 for his handling of the semi-final. This severe critique reflects mounting frustration with Ten Hag’s methods.
The disparity between Manchester United and the Premier League’s top teams is becoming increasingly clear, illustrating the tough day faced by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. While finishing the marathon was an achievement in itself, the real challenge was the high-pressure FA Cup semi-final. The match not only exposed Manchester United’s weaknesses but also spotlighted the persistent issues under Ten Hag’s management, despite the team’s advancement to the FA Cup final.
Manchester United’s defensive and offensive problems have been stark, with troubling statistics in expected goals against (xGA) and expected goals (xG) highlighting a broader decline under Ten Hag’s leadership. His questionable substitutions and inconsistent tactics have drawn criticism. This rising discontent indicates that, despite recent cup successes, Ten Hag’s tenure may be coming to an end, putting additional pressure on Manchester United’s new ownership to consider a managerial change.
