Manchester United has turned around their fortunes with the appointment of Erik ten Haag. The Dutchman has had a brilliant first season in charge at Old Trafford and got rid of some of the flakiness associated with the side.
With an EFL Cup Final win and a FA Cup Final at the weekend, the team is now competing for competitions which is great to see. So, what’s next and what does he have to do to get United back to winning Premier League titles?
Get Rid Of Deadwood
The fact that Phil Jones is still picking up a wage from Manchester United is one of sport’s greatest mysteries. However, Jones is far from the only player that’s still at Old Trafford who has no future in a Red Devil’s jersey. Take Eric Bailey, Brandon Williams, Axel Tuanzebe and even club captain Harry Maguire. Each one of them are still Manchester United employees and not one of them has any hope of becoming a regular in a Premier League winning team.
Striking Options
We are not being harsh in stating that Wout Weghorst is just not of the same calibre as the strikers that play for Liverpool, Arsenal, or Manchester City. He is a player who will do a job for you, but he isn’t amongst the most elite level. If United are going to push the others and challenge for a league, he will need to be reduced to a bit-part player and they will have to make an attacking signing.
Harry Kane has been linked and he would certainly fit the bill if a price can be agreed. However, even an Evan Ferguson who can give his best years to the club, could be an answer.
Keep Rashford Buzzing
Marcus Rashford is having the best season of his career. He has been absolutely sensational this year, showing a ruthlessness that he has never shown before. However, Rashford’s issue on the pitch has always been a sustained level of consistency. If ten Haag can keep him playing this way when reinforcements arrive, then United could be amongst the leaders at the business end of next season.
Away Game Disappearances
The headline defeat in United’s season was that 7-0 demolition by Liverpool. That isn’t the form of a top team and they will need to get rid of such weaknesses going into next season. However, it wasn’t just that game. They have struggled against the top teams away from home. Take the 6-3 defeat by Manchester City, the 3-2 to Arsenal. They even lost 2-1 away to Brighton.
A New Keeper
David de Gea has been an amazing servant for United, but he’s just not a world-class goalkeeper any more. Last season he kept less clean sheets than Crystal Palace’s Vicente Guaita and although he has had some good performances this term, there have been moments where he has let in goals that you’d expect a better keeper to save. In terms of psychology, he is also a symbol of the bad days at Old Trafford, having been at the club through a number of poor seasons.
What are your thoughts and comments on the current situation at Manchester United.
