Manchester United’s season went from bad to worse during their Champions League tie against FC Copenhagen, as they not only managed to blow a 2-0 lead, but they also failed to protect a 3-2 advantage they had with ten men, eventually losing 4-3 to the Danish side.
It marks yet another low point for Erik ten Hag and if the former Ajax boss wasn’t feeling the pressure beforehand, he most certainly will now, especially with qualification to the knockout stage hanging by a thread.
The feel-good factor that surrounded the club upon the completion of last term has all but gone and with United already knocked out of the EFL Cup, it is beginning to look like the FA Cup is their only chance of glory.
Injury issues haven’t exactly helped the Dutchman in fairness, yet he has a more than able first-team squad to still be challenging towards the top end of the Premier League, while their Champions League group wasn’t particularly daunting either.
A home tie on Saturday against Luton Town represents a perfect chance for Ten Hag to regain some confidence with a big win, but they won't make it easy for themselves.
If the Red Devils don’t pick up three points, Ten Hag’s position might just become untenable and the club could soon be on the search for yet another manager.
Man Utd manager news
Two candidates that have been mentioned as possible replacements are Zinedine Zidane and Ruben Amorim according to the Times, and both would be adequate replacements for the 53-year-old given their respective achievements in the game.
Amorim led Sporting CP to their first league title in over two decades during the 2020/21 campaign, while Zidane led Real Madrid to three Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles over two separate spells.
Could United perhaps go slightly left field, however, and take another look at a coach they were once keen on a few years ago?
Back in 2020, Hansi Flick was considered as a perfect replacement for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer following a shaky start to his first full season in charge of the Red Devils.
The German had been appointed as interim manager at Bayern Munich following the sacking of Niko Kovac and was expected to leave at the end of the season, allowing United to swoop in during the summer.
Nothing materialised for United as Flick went on to win the treble with the club, securing their sixth European Cup title in the August, and it appeared as though United had missed the boat.
With the 58-year-old now without a current role following his sacking as Germany manager in September – and among the favourites to succeed Ten Hag – could this be the right time to make a more concrete offer?
Hansi Flick’s managerial record
The former Bayern player was an assistant in the national team setup under former coach Joachim Löw between 2006 and 2014 and his spell culminated in Germany winning the World Cup for the fourth time.
Having been thrown in the deep end with regard to management in 2020 at Bayern, it proved to be a stunning trophy-laden spell and his credentials were backed up by the former boss of the Bavarian side Jupp Heynckes, who described him as “a gem of a coach” as he backed Flick for a long-term role at the club.
Flick stayed for only one more season before leaving at the end of the 2020/21 campaign, and he was soon announced as the head coach of the German national team, taking over from his old master Low after Euro 2020.
His reign as national team boss didn’t entirely go to plan. He did lead Germany to seven straight wins to secure qualification for the 2022 World Cup, yet just three victories across nine matches leading up to the competition didn’t exactly fill them with confidence.
Ten Hag did praise Flick, however, prior to Germany’s clash with the Netherlands last year, saying the former Bayern coach was “outstanding” while believing that they could go all the way in Qatar and claim another world crown.
For the second tournament in a row, Germany fell at the first hurdle after winning just one game from three and suffering an opening-day defeat to Japan.
Following a run of four defeats in five matches, Flick was sacked after Germany lost once again to Japan, this time 4-1, in September. That means he is now a free agent.
Hansi Flick could be the perfect replacement for Ten Hag at Man Utd
Of course, his record in charge of Germany wasn’t great, yet at club level, Flick was excellent. Indeed, across 86 matches in charge of the club, he lost just eight matches and won a total of 70 across all competitions.
A staggering record and there is no doubt he could get a tune out of some of these underperforming United players. Flick tends to operate with a 4-2-3-1 and his penchant for attacking football is evidenced by the fact Bayern scored 260 goals, which works out as just over three goals a game.
25
1.72
86
2.53
195
1.59
With talents such as Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Antony, Flick could bring out the best in them and allow the players some much-needed attacking freedom, which could lead to a lot more goals being scored.
The Old Trafford side have scored just 24 goals across 17 matches this term so far, conceding 30 in the process, and it is evident that both attacking and defensive areas need major work done to them.
Flick could be the ideal person to fix this. He has a winning mentality, having led Bayern to plenty of success during his brief spell in charge, while his tactical system can suit the current United players rather well.
Ten Hag is skating on very thin ice and with a tie against Luton this weekend, only three points will do if he is looking to keep his current role.
