manchester united erik ten hag

 Erik ten Hag's decision to do the same thing for both last night's game against Real Betis and the thrashing Manchester United received at the hands of Liverpool may have been his cleverest move.

Managers may only make significant comments in the wake of events like last Sunday's loss. What they actually do is what counts.

The United manager, Ten Hag, had the option of cutting players. He would have had no trouble finding candidates. Bruno Fernandes' captaincy was available for him to assume. It was impossible for the Portuguese to complain.

Instead, Ten Hag merely returned the shirts to the original eleven players and instructed them to proceed and perform better. Wout Weghorst played as a classic center forward down the middle with Marcus Rashford and Antony on either side. This was one tactical change. That was successful because all three players scored.

In addition, Ten Hag only requested improvement, which is what he received. Though straightforward, the choice was nevertheless quite astute. That provided his team members a chance to move past the Anfield mishap while also demonstrating his faith in them.