“He’s got a grip of the club which is really, really big for him,” Sir Alex Ferguson said of Erik ten Hag after Sunday’s Carabao Cup trophy lift at Wembley.
The Dutchman’s authority is what got Manchester United back on track during the first half of the season after their woeful start against Brighton and Brentford.
The wheels could have fallen off quickly but his coolness in the face of the flames laid his character bare. Gary Neville has frequently highlighted how impressed he was when Ten Hag fronted up to a showdown interview with him and Jamie Carragher for Sky Sports in August.
Toxicity had infected the dressing room last season but the manager was the key to stabilising the club, especially so amid Cristiano Ronaldo’s tantrums. READ MORE: Erik ten Hag confident of dressing room energy levels In the matchday programme for Wednesday’s FA Cup clash with West Ham, referencing the Carabao Cup triumph, he wrote: “I am delighted we have won our first trophy together.” Unity is back at United.