Man Utd should ‘get rid’ of Ten Hag despite incredible win record

Tom Weber

Updated: 8 Dec 2023 08:54 GMT
3 min read

Erik ten Hag sacked, Man Utd — © ProShots

Ian Wright believes Man Utd should 'ditch' Erik ten Hag despite the Dutchman still boasting the best win percentage of any permanent Red Devils manager.

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Despite a 2-1 victory over a very poor Chelsea side midweek, Erik ten Hag continues to be under pressure. With the dressing room reportedly split on the boss and several transfer questions looming over Man Utd, brought about by the Dutchman's signing policy and treatment of players such as Jadon Sancho, the 53-year-old is not having an easy time at Old Trafford.

Indeed, calls for Man Utd to move on from Ten Hag are growing ever louder. Yet, statistically, Ten Hag should not be concerned about getting the sack. The Dutchman remains Man Utd's 'winningest' permanent manager, having overseen 52 victories in 84 games, amounting to a win percentage of 61.9 per cent, better than Sir Alex Ferguson's of 59.67% (over an incredible 1500 games).

However, boasting a positive win percentage isn't enough and it didn't save Ten Hag's predecessors Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunner Solskjaer. In fact, Arsenal legend Ian Wright is convinced that the Red Devils should move on from Ten Hag sooner rather than later.

What did Wright say?

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright said: “Ditch, I’d get rid of him, I’d move him on. I think when I look at the way Man United are playing…you only have to look at Ange [Postecoglou] and the way he’s changed things so quickly [at Tottenham] and a pattern of play, how they want to do certain things and I still haven’t seen that with United up to this point."

“So, I’m thinking with everything that’s gone on, you want to see in 18 months, we should be seeing a certain way that Man United are playing. They should be controlling games and winning games now. So I’d probably get rid.”

Against Chelsea, Man Utd did control the game, but upcoming big matches against the likes of Bayern, Liverpool and Aston Villa will show whether this was because of the Blues being poor or the Red Devils actually turning things around.