Disappointed with his performances, Manchester United removed Erik ten Hag from the head coach position on Monday, October 28. The decision came on the back of Man Utd’s 2-1 defeat to West Ham United in the Premier League, which left the club in 14th place in the Premier League rankings with their worst-ever haul of 11 points.
The Dutchman drew plenty of criticism during his time at Old Trafford, with many claiming he was not ready to manage a club of Manchester United’s stature. However, according to stats, Ten Hag is far from the worst manager the club has had over the years. He has, in fact, booked himself a place on the list of the top five managers with the highest points per game (PPG) in the club’s history. Continue reading to check out where he ranks.
#5 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – 1.79 PPG
Kicking off the list is club-legend-turned-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian tactician served as the club’s permanent manager between March 2019 and November 2021, managing them in 149 matches. During his stay, Manchester United won 78 games, drew 33, and lost 38, attaining a PPG of 1.79. Before coming on as permanent boss, Solskjaer had a 19-game interim spell— promoted after Jose Mourino lost his job —, during which he oversaw 14 wins, two draws, and three defeats.
Solskjaer went trophyless in 2018-19, with United finishing sixth in the Premier League rankings. The following season was a lot more encouraging, as Man Utd finished third in the league and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, UEFA Europa League, and the Carabao Cup. In his third season, Manchester United finished second in the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup. Their UEFA Champions League run, however, was quite disappointing, as they exited in the Group stage.
Solksjaer lost his job following a disappointing start to the 2021-22 season. On November 20, 2021, United suffered a shock 4-1 defeat to newly promoted Watford. The following day, Manchester United announced that Solksjaer had left his role as manager.
#4 Louis van Gaal – 1.81 PPG
Dutch tactician Louis van Gaal came on as Manchester United manager as David Moyes’ replacement in the summer of 2014. Between July 2014 and May 2016, Van Gaal managed Manchester United in 103 games, averaging 1.81 points per game. During his time, United won 54 games, drew 24, and lost 25.
Courtesy of his excellent track record at Ajax and Barcelona, Van Gaal looked like a solid option for the Mancunians. He failed to win any trophy in his debut season but secured a top-four finish in the Premier League. The following season, reports emerged that Manchester United players had turned on Van Gaal, with them questioning his tactical calls. Man Utd won the FA Cup but finished fifth in the 2015-16 Premier League season, which, unfortunately, was not enough for Van Gaal to save his job.
#3 Erik ten Hag – 1.84 PPG
Manchester United’s last permanent manager Erik ten Hag took charge of the club in 128 matches between July 1, 2022, and October 27, 2024. Under his tutelage, the Red Devils won 72 games, drew 20, and lost 36, averaging 1.84 points per game.
Ten Hag, who joined the club from Ajax, had a fine first season at Old Trafford. Not only did he secure a top-four finish but he also took the team to Carabao Cup glory. He, however, fell out with Cristiano Ronaldo, leading to his abrupt exit in November 2022. Things went south in 2023-24, as United could only secure an eighth-pace finish in the English top flight. Ten Hag still managed to save his job thanks to United’s win over Manchester City in the FA Cup.
Of course, things went from bad to worse in 2024-25, leading to his premature exit. However, looking at his numbers, it is safe to say that Ten Hag did a much better job than people give him credit for.
#2 Jose Mourinho – 1.97 PPG
The ‘Special One’ came in as Manchester United’s manager in July 2016. Having managed some of the biggest clubs and won the most prestigious trophies, Mourinho was more than qualified to take charge of the Red Devils. He enjoyed a fine debut season, taking the club to the UEFA Europa League, the Carabao Cup, and the FA Community Shield. Mourinho failed to secure any trophy in 2017-18 but oversaw a second-place finish in the Premier League.
However, Mourinho once again oversaw a disastrous third season, as the team began performing poorly and players turned on the manager. On December 18, 2018, Manchester United sacked Mourinho. He left the club after overseeing 84 wins, 31 draws, and 19 defeats in 144 games, averaging 1.97 points per game.
#1 Sir Alex Ferguson – 2.02 PPG
Arguably the greatest-ever manager in the history of English soccer, Sir Alex Ferguson managed Manchester United in a whopping 1490 games between 1986 and 2013. He took the club to 895 wins, 323 draws, and 272 defeats, averaging 2.02 points per game.
Ferguson had a difficult start at Manchester United, finishing trophyless in his first three seasons. He won his first honor at the end of the 1989-90 season, as he took Manchester United to the FA Cup title. Thus began an era of dominance, which is guaranteed to stand the test of time. Before he called time on his managerial career in 2013, Ferguson won a record 13 Premier League titles, two UEFA Champions League trophies, and four more FA Cups, amongst other honors.
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