Erik ten Hag chose not to walk over to the travelling Manchester United fans tucked into the corner of Brentford‘s Gtech Community Stadium after what had been a humiliating afternoon in West London, but if he had, he would have been spared much of the anger that spilled out onto the pitch following the 4-0 defeat.
Virtually everyone else at the club — the players, the owners, the recruitment department, CEO Richard Arnold, football director John Murtough — has taken the bulk of the criticism following a start to the season that has left United bottom of the Premier League after two games. Ten Hag, though, has been largely insulated.
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Most supporters are well aware the problems at Old Trafford run far deeper than a manager who has only been at the club for a couple of months. But if results continue in the same vein, it will be the Dutchman whose pays the price. After defeats to Brighton and Brentford, he has already been made third-favourite to be the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season behind Ralph Hasenhuttl (Southampton) and Frank Lampard (Everton).
United maintain that Ten Hag is a long-term appointment, but there will have to be signs of progress soon. Club chiefs have been impressed with the 52-year-old’s approach off the pitch, but so far, his record on it reads two games and two defeats with Liverpool up next on Monday.
Ten Hag has made it clear to both Arnold and Murtough that if he’s to turn things around, he needs new players before the transfer deadline on Sept. 1. Sources have told ESPN that the club are “aligned” with his demand for more signings, but with two weeks to go before the close of the window, the clock is ticking.
Ten Hag wants to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona, while a deal for Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot has collapsed over the Frenchman’s wage demands. Ideally, he wants at least one more forward — Christian Pulisic is the latest player linked to a move, albeit on loan — another goalkeeper and a right-back as well, but he accepts the chances of having all his requests met before the end of the window are slim.
