Erik ten Hag got Man Utd job over Mauricio Pochettino after he made 'mistake'

The top brass at Manchester United may be left scratching their heads as to why they passed over Mauricio Pochettino in favour of Erik ten Hag. Ten Hag left his struggling United side in 14th place with a record of two wins, two draws, three losses, and a mere five Premier League goals to their name heading into the international break.

The ex-Ajax manager attempted to shift focus from his team’s dismal goal tally by joyfully talking about the four clean sheets they’ve managed. His argument failed to convince many, and speculation surrounding his position continues to mount.

Following United’s fifth consecutive match without a win across all competitions, the new regime at Old Trafford might scrutinise the rationale behind the former bigwigs’ decision to opt for Ten Hag over the ex-Chelsea boss. NowPochettino is manager of the United States men’s national team, heading into the 2026 World Cup, that decision may seem even more painful.

The Argentine coach seemed to be the frontrunner to succeed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and had been associated with the club since his tenure as Tottenham manager. However, Pochettino was managing Paris Saint-Germain at the time. In a bid to ease relations with his employers, Pochettino did not try and force his way out of the club.

This proved too bitter a pill for the Red Devils to swallow, according to the Manchester Evening News. Pochettino was United’s top pick to take the reins in 2022 and were reportedluy prepared to negotiate a deal with PSG to lure HIM to the red half of Manchester.

However, with PSG unwilling to let him go, it would have likely required Pochettino to stir up controversy and potentially force his way out of the French club to pave a path. But he did not rock the boat or create a fuss, leaving PSG with no grounds to give in to United’s demands.

United then shifted their focus to Ten Hag, signing him on an initial three-year contract. Two years after the Dutchman inked his contract, United’s performance under Ten Hag’s leadership has been inconsistent. Despite having an FA Cup and League Cup winners’ medal to his name, he has only managed to secure a top-four finish once.

Currently languishing in 14th place, the prospect of finishing in the Champions League spots seems as far-fetched as it is improbable. His team managed a 0-0 stalemate against Aston Villa at Villa Park in their last Premier League match before the break.

While the result itself isn’t necessarily poor considering both clubs’ circumstances, United supporters were left bored throughout the match. However, Ten Hag appeared rather cheerful post-match.

Addressing the rumours about his future, he said: “[It is] external noise. Internally, we are disappointed. We know we have to do better. Especially, we need to score more, in this moment, after this block of games [that is] where we are really short.

“All the other areas, we are doing really well, four clean sheets. That tells you something about our defending over the season. Defensive transitions we are doing really well. Our build-up play is good, we are calm, composed, creating chances apart from today. Today we should have created more. That area in the box, we have to be more ruthless, more clinical, more killing.”