Manchester United absolutely dominated the Premier League in the 90’s and 00’s, when they were managed by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. Under his 26-year reign, the red side of Manchester managed to win an astonishing 38 trophies, including; 13 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, and 2 wins in European football’s biggest trophy, the Champions League. With all that success, it’s only natural that the club became a global sporting phenomenon, and acquired millions of fans across the world, including here in India, where they’re easily the most supported football team.
However, since Ferguson retired in 2013, United have found themselves unable to achieve those crazy heights again, and they haven’t won a single Premier League title since. They’ve actually managed to drop down the table, and now instead of fighting it out for the top spot, they find themselves regularly battling for a top-4 place, or even coming below those Champions League qualifying places, as they did last season, finishing 6th.
The club hierarchy felt, then, that this summer was the time to make some massive changes. So, as we enter into the 22/23 season, let’s take a quick dive into some of those, and discuss whether Manchester United are on the up.
New Manager Arrival
In the near decade that United have now spent post-Ferguson, they’ve really struggled to forge a new coherent identity, instead trying to rest on the laurels of their previous triumphs. This has led to them trying many different managers, each one seemingly hired out of rank desperation, rather than as the spearhead of a coherent plan.
The man that they’ve just installed in the managerial seat though, is someone who prides himself on having a true footballing vision. The Dutchman, Erik ten Hag, has been making headlines since 2017 for his impressive stint as manager of Ajax. He oversaw a team that played attacking and attractive football, that won titles, and all whilst nurturing young talent. He also took them all the way to the Champions League semi-finals in 2019, which was the first time the Dutch club had advanced that far in the competition since way back in 1997.
It looks to be a quality appointment by those in charge at United then, and they’ll be hoping that Ten Hag will swiftly implement his philosophy at Old Trafford. It seems he’s already making his presence felt, with intense training regimes, strict dietary requirements, and he recently dropped a player for a pre-season friendly, after they’d turned up to team meetings late.
Squad Overhaul
For several years now, irate United supporters have been lamenting the amount of deadwood they see in the squad. Players like Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic and Jesse Lingard, whilst all once being decent players for the side, had now stagnated due to advancing age or loss of form. Well, thankfully, they were finally all moved on this summer, as well as the French midfielder, Paul Pogba, whose time in Manchester just never reached the heights that most expected.
When it comes to players that they’ve got in, the most noteworthy so far is definitely Lisandro Martinez. The now 24-year-old defender followed Ten Hag from Ajax, being signed for around £51.6 million from Amsterdam. It’s hoped that Martinez will add some much needed steel to the United backline, and help stabilise Harry Maguire back into the competent centre-back he’s proved to be in the past.
Although some fans would be hoping to sign massive stars like Neymar Jr., who is currently questioning his long-term future, it could be nourishing for the club to instead trust Ten Hag to promote some of the youth from within.
Immediate Impact?
With all these new incomings, does this mean that the Red Devils will instantly climb their way back to the top of the Premier League table? Unfortunately for their legions of Indian fans, bookmakers don’t seem to think so, with them being listed at the long odds of 28/1 to win the 22/23 Premier League. You can find these odds over at the best betting sites for 2022, which are all selected by the experts at SBO.net, who make it quick and easy for punters to find the right betting site for them. They also offer enhanced odds, meaning you’ll get the most for your money, and there’s even free bets available.
Despite this, all the club need to do is make sure that there is a coherent plan being followed throughout, and let Ten Hag try and best recreate his Ajax magic in Manchester, and they will be doing a lot better than the topsy-turvy season just gone.
