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By the time Crystal Palace scored a fourth goal against Manchester United at Selhurst Park on Monday night, Erik ten Hag could not quite believe what he was watching.

Perhaps rather appropriately, the United manager was dressed in an all-black attire as goals from Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell flew past Andre Onana to consign the Red Devils to a 13th Premier League defeat of the season.

For Ten Hag, who was so bullish about the prospect of ending Liverpool and Manchester City's dominance of English football when he was unveiled as Manchester United's manager less than two years ago, this damning 4-0 defeat at Selhurst Park was a brutal reality check as it saw him become the first Old Trafford boss to lose 13 games in a single Premier League season.

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“I admire them both,” said Ten Hag back in May 2022.

But with the Reds sitting third in the Premier League table and assured of a return to the Champions League next season, as well as winning the Carabao Cup just three months ago, one can only assume that this is not how Ten Hag saw the Klopp era ending.

Of course, United played a crucial role in spoiling the dream farewell for the departing manager as they knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup in March before a frustrating 2-2 draw in the Premier League at Old Trafford last month saw Klopp's men surrender top spot.

But at a time when much uncertainty was expected to circulate at Anfield as FSG prepared for a summer shake-up in a post-Klopp world, United have missed the opportunity to help Ten Hag deliver on his bullish promise from his Old Trafford unveiling.

And since acquiring his 25%, the INEOS chief has made sweeping changes across the board in an attempt to restore the feel-good factor of yesteryear.

Yet, Ratcliffe's willingness to play a patient game at Old Trafford is ensuring that United enter the off-season with little clarity of how things could look next season.

Ashworth, though, isn't the only man who is unsure if he will be working at Old Trafford next season, with Ten Hag's position as manager somehow still in the balance despite United being on track for their lowest finish in the Premier League.

And after Edwards' new, wide-scoping role was confirmed in March, he wasted little time to begin number-crunching with Liverpool's director of research Will Spearman as the pair decided upon Slot as the ideal candidate to pick up the reins at Anfield this summer

Like United, Liverpool's desired first-choice came at a cost but even after seeing an opening offer of £7.7m rejected by Feyenoord, Anfield chiefs quickly returned with an improved proposal worth up to £9.4m to ensure there was no chance of a tedious and public bartering for Slot.

Therefore as we approach the second anniversary of Ten Hag's bullish introduction to English football, there is only one Dutchman equipped to start a new era in the Premier League: Arne Slot.


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