Erik ten Hag’s six words show Manchester United have got what they need

There was some spin at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when a Manchester United official attempted to decrease the volume of the booing for Harry Maguire by insisting the supporters they were surrounded by were chanting his name. Maguire's crass chant, belted out by England's unoriginal following, has hardly been aired at Old Trafford.

No spin was required for the clip of Erik ten Hag audibly asking "What the f--k are you doing?" - more a bouncer into the grill than a leg-break.

United officials seemed to lap that up as much as the supporters. Twitter has found the clip to be more heinous than abusive posts by faceless pseudonyms, so it is trickier to source now.

It is the 88th minute, United are 3-1 up against Crystal Palace and Aaron Wan-Bissaka plays a back pass to David de Gea, who wellies the ball into the opponent's half. As the ball is dropping, Ten Hag bluntly queries United's approach.

Club sources have suggested Ten Hag was not targeting De Gea, rather the play that preceded his punt. Some have suggested Ten Hag yells "Charlie" - possibly Savage - but the voice does not clearly match Ten Hag's.

It undeniably is Ten Hag who asks "what the f--k are you doing?" United were winning but also a man down after Will Fish's expulsion. The team had almost entirely changed from the starting side and Ten Hag refused to countenance a drop in standards.

The last permanent United manager was heralded for "putting smiles back on faces". Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could cut loose, as he did with Jesse Lingard during the Manchester derby ("You do that again and you're f-----g off"). Lingard was soon hooked, although Solskjaer ruffled his hair and had a smile back on his face.

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