Pressure has mounted on Erik ten Hag after a string of underwhelming performances from Manchester United in the final weeks of the campaign. The Dutchman has defended his side’s playing style, claiming they are “one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams” in the Premier League, but the numbers tell a different story.
Erik Ten Hag’s Manchester United Claims Not Backed by Stats
More Pressure, More Frustration
Romours about Ten Hag’s potential sacking at the end of the season has intensified, with the Red Devils winning only two of their last seven games across all competitions. A 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday officially ended United’s hopes of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League.
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Ten Hag, who banned three media outlets from asking questions at his press conference on Friday, defended their playing style after the game.
The 54-year-old said (via Sky Sports): “We are one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams in the league at this moment. We are creating loads of chances by playing good football. It was unnecessary to lose control.”
Indeed, his team have struggled to kill games off this season, dropping points even after some of their best performances. However, the Red Devils are far from the “entertaining” side that Ten Hag has described.
Worse Than Last Season
Having ended the 2022/23 campaign in the Premier League’s third spot, United will certainly finish lower this season. However, defensive inconsistency hasn’t been Ten Hag’s only problem, as his side have also performed worse by almost every attacking metric compared to the previous term.
Note: Data in the following table is obtained from FBREF and the Premier League’s official website.
| Category | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 53.7% | 50.6% |
| XG/90 mins | 1.78 | 1.55 |
| Shots/90 mins | 15.53 | 14.53 |
| Shots on target/90 mins | 5.42 | 4.88 |
| Progressive passes/90 mins | 41.97 | 39.79 |
| Shot creating actions/ 90 mins | 27.66 | 26.35 |
| Touches in attacking third/90 mins | 172.89 | 165.14 |
| Big chances created/ game | 2.21 | 1.7 |
Recent Form
A hard-fought win over Coventry City sent the Red Devils to the FA Cup final last Saturday. However, United’s recent performances in the Premier League have cast serious doubt over Ten Hag’s future at the club.
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According to the Athletic journalist Ben Dinnery, United have been nowhere near the Premier League’s top teams in terms of their recent attacking stats.
Since matchday 29, United have registered 6.97 XGs (ranked 16th in the Premier League), 11 big chances (11th), 84 shots (ninth), 66 crosses (19th), and 788 final-third passes (eighth).
