Ralf Rangnick believes Manchester United need 'open heart operation'

Manchester United's interim manager Ralf Rangnick said the club requires an "open heart operation" if they are to turn things around at Old Trafford.

United named Ajax Amsterdam coach Erik ten Hag as their new manager. The 52-year-old signed a three-year deal and will succeed Rangnick at the end of this season.

Ten Hag is the fifth permanent manager to be appointed by United since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 following David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Rangnick has been in interim charge since Solskjaer was sacked in November 2021.

The Red Devils were thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool in midweek, a defeat which left them in sixth place in the table, 23 points behind leaders and neighbours Manchester City.

They also face an uphill struggle to reach the Champions League next season, three points and a spot behind Arsenal, who have a game in hand. The teams will face each other on Saturday.

"You don't even need glasses to see and analyse where the problems are," Rangnick said.

"Now it's about how do we solve them? It's not enough to do some minor amendments – cosmetic things. In medicine, you would say that this is an operation of the open heart.

LIVERPOOL RATINGS: Alisson Becker – 7. The Brazilian made a double save from Rashford and Elanga during Liverpool’s flat period in the second half. He gave the team the wake-up call they needed. EPA

"If this happens and everyone has realised that this has to happen and if people want to work together then it makes sense. I believe it doesn't take two or three years to change those things. This can happen within one year."

However, Rangnick backed new manager Ten Hag to deliver, saying there was enough evidence to suggest the Dutchman can turn the club's