Erik ten Hag has already shown his ruthlessness at Manchester United

The writing was on the wall for Ralf Rangnick on Monday. He was mentioned in the fourth, 14th and 15th questions at Erik ten Hag's introductory press conference and it was Ten Hag's reply to the latter that was telling.

Did he endorse Rangnick's consultancy role?

"That's on the club."

In the press room afterwards, we half-joked Rangnick wouldn't be at United this time next year. Make it a week.

Ten Hag and Rangnick never met in person, their working relationship consisting of WhatsApp messages and a lengthy telephone conversation last week.

It took United less than a week to conclude Rangnick's role as the new Austria national team coach "would make it hard to spend the time working for United that was previously anticipated".

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Rangnick accepted the Austria role a month ago. Understandably, United waited until Ten Hag was in town to end Rangnick's consultancy role before it had even started.

Many at United will be glad to see the back of Rangnick. A source said no one at the club liked his home truths, although the fans did.

The players were not having Rangnick's methods. One noted he had started "dropping bombs" with the diagnosis the United squad needed open-heart surgery.

Players derided Rangnick's CV and the backbiting was so unedifying some nicknamed him 'Specs'. Marcus Rashford resented Rangnick's criticism, although Rashford and his entourage had a bee in their bonnet with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho as well.

Rangnick only started Rashford nine times in the Premier League and if Ten Hag had used him as a sounding board then Rashford's days at United might have been numbered. Instead he could be reprieved.

The United football director John Murtough drove