This isn't David Moyes. It isn’t Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho or Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. This is Erik ten Hag. And as Rio Ferdinand would prematurely say - Manchester United are back.
The Red Devils put on a scintillating display in their 2-0 win, as they tore apart a Tottenham Hotspur side that have received huge plaudits so far this season. But Antonio Conte has beaten seven teams so far this term, six of which sit in the bottom half of the table - including the entire bottom four. There’s still question marks over the genuine quality of this Tottenham side in big games.
For United, however, this is the best they have been in several years. Results and trophies aren’t going to come instantly for Ten Hag at Old Trafford, but he has already made big decisions, big signings and the club is changing in his image.
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Cristiano Ronaldo was left out but such is Ten Hag’s power now at the club, the Portuguese superstar is simply a footnote. His signing wasn’t the right one for United and they are a far better side when he isn’t on the pitch, that is plain to see. The fact Ten Hag is now repeatedly sticking to his guns on the matter is such a powerful statement at Old Trafford.
With Casemiro now in full flow, Christian Eriksen the player of the season so far and Antony absolutely exceptional since his big money move, Ten Hag also seems to have nailed his incoming transfers, something no other gaffer has been able to do at this club for several years.
Bruno Fernandes was at his magnificent best tonight, as he scored the second and ran the game from the middle of the pitch. His manager has trusted him to play a key role, but importantly, the goalscoring pressure is now distributed around the team, rather than just a number nine.
The midfield issues have been solved with Casemiro and Eriksen, while the back line looks far more secure as Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez continue to develop their partnership. Luke Shaw also put in another excellent display from left-back after winning back his place in the side.
From the outside, that’s another Ten Hag positive. He is picking players solely based on what he sees on the pitch. Not history or ego. Even in the derby day defeat to City, and last week’s home draw there were clear positives.
Today Fred got on the scoresheet and the whole team provided energy across the pitch. It was without a doubt, the best performance we have seen from the unit in the Ten Hag era. Shot after shot went in on Hugo Lloris’ goal and only an inspired display kept the scores down, as he won his personal battle with Marcus Rashford.
But nothing Spurs did could stop this onslaught. It’s not just the best they’ve played under Ten Hag, arguably it is the best they have played in several years. They might be in the Europa League and have a stroppy striker that stormed down the tunnel early again in a bid to steal the headlines, but the feeling around this club is changing.
The performances on the pitch are changing too. We are only a matter of months into his reign, and look how much better things are. The player power has slowly dissipated, and now United feel united again. That’s a major step in the right direction back to the top.
