Working with Ronaldo and challenging Guardiola - what Ten Hag said in his first Man Utd press conference and what has changed since

Looking back at Erik ten Hag's first Manchester United press conference one year ago today, the first thing that hits you is how much his English has improved in 12 months.

Ten Hag's communications that day in a bustling Old Trafford press room were brief and occasionally stilted. His answers were often short and always to the point.

In the year since his communication has improved considerably. His answers in press conferences are often more engaging now and he carries the aura of a United manager.

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But maybe the first impressions were also accurate. Ten Hag was friendly, but he was also all business and he was direct and straight to the point. The United squad would probably recognise that assessment now.

May 23, 2022, was technically Ten Hag's first official day as United manager. His appointment had been confirmed a month earlier and the day before his visit to Old Trafford he had been at Selhurst Park to watch his new team limp to another dismal defeat.

United wanted to signal a new beginning so within 24 hours of their season ending, they were already looking forward. Ten Hag posed for pictures on the pitch and toured the facilities. He shook hands with everyone he met and made an impact.

He's kept that going. One year on there have been 60 competitive matches, 39 victories, one trophy, one more final to come and still a few embarrassing days to highlight there is work to be done. There has been £225million spent and the feeling that the 53-year-old might actually be United's best hope for a decade.

The trend is upward. Club Elo is a website that measures results in every game and the strength of opponents to rate where a team stands at any time. A year