Manchester United’s leadership has openly expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s performance at the beginning of this season, sparking increased speculation about manager Erik ten Hag’s future.

The club’s current situation has raised eyebrows, especially after they found themselves in 14th place in the league just before the recent international break—a record low start for the team in the Premier League era.

Intervention Among Club Leaders

Recent reports from the Mirror indicate that high-ranking officials, including Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford, convened to discuss the direction of the team and the fate of Ten Hag.

Although Ten Hag may have received a temporary stay of execution following the Red Devils’ 2-1 victory over Brentford, concerns among the club’s hierarchy about the team’s performance remain pronounced.

Frustration Acknowledged

Toby Craig, United’s chief communications officer, acknowledged during a fan forum last week that the club is “clearly not happy” with their start to the 2024-25 season.

Drawing on his extensive experience from previous roles at City Group and Chelsea, Craig pointed out that significant structural changes within the club have contributed to their struggles.

He elaborated, stating, “Clearly, we are not satisfied with the men’s first team’s start to the season, and the results are not where we want them to be. There is a huge amount of change going on.”

He emphasized that while the squad appeared stronger post-summer transfer window, it is still a work in progress, with many young players developing their skills.

Changes on and off the Pitch

Craig noted that changes have occurred both on the pitch and off it, with the addition of Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox to the club.

These changes are part of a broader transformation in the sporting structure that the leadership hopes will yield positive results in the long run.

He highlighted the women’s team, which has had a fantastic start to the Women’s Super League (WSL) with a perfect record.

During the forum, chief operating officer Collette Roche echoed the sentiment about the men’s team, referring to the season’s start as “difficult.”

However, she assured fans that everyone at the Carrington training complex is diligently working to turn things around, with plenty of the season still ahead.

Acknowledging the Tough Decisions

Roche also addressed the recent restructuring within the club, which led to the departure of about 250 colleagues.

She acknowledged that while these decisions were tough, they were deemed necessary for future growth.

“Even though we are generating record revenues—among the highest in European football—we’re still losing money,” she said, emphasizing that the current financial situation is unsustainable and that measures are needed to boost efficiency.

Historical Context of Performance

Looking back, the last time Manchester United managed to secure as few as nine points from their first seven league games was during the 2019-20 season under Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

According to Opta, things worsened in their eighth match that season when they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle United, leaving them in 12th place and 15 points adrift of then-leaders Liverpool.