Now that Tottenham is prepared to dust off the Champions League banners, imagine what the Manchester United power brokers are thinking.
Spurs, of course, are managed by Antonio Conte, who was available to United during that soul-searching week in October when fans flocked to Sir Matt Busby Way with only 20 minutes left to play against Liverpool.
United were not keen on Conte at the moment, despite his willingness to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It's difficult to say which decision was the worst: sticking with Solskjaer when Conte was available or appointing Ralf Rangnick five weeks later.
Rangnick talks a good game, but his team performs poorly. Fans have enjoyed the grenades he has thrown at the United locker room door, but he is the club's worst manager since David Moyes. For many United fans under the age of 40, Brighton was the lowest point.
United decided to end their season before Christmas by employing a caretaker and subsequently an interim manager. United would not have finished in the top four under Rangnick, Ernesto Valverde, Lucien Favre, or any other uninspiring and unworthy choice.
Rangnick has tried to split his time between the January internationals and before and after them. Everyone is aware of the seismic news story that occurred between Fergie's triumph against West Ham and Middlesbrough's FA Cup elimination.
United beat West Ham to go into fourth place, but there had previously been red flags: the performances at Norwich and Newcastle, the deserved loss to Wolves, the second-half against Aston Villa, and the first-half against Brentford. Except for the season-high at Elland Road, February was uneventful, and United spiraled as soon as they faced a serious opponent in Manchester City.
Discord in the dressing room was already common at the time, with some people dismissing Rangnick's techniques. Rangnick's authority on Instagram was openly debunked by Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard, two periphery players who had combined for eight starts this season.
The manager's role has been restored, and Erik ten Hag now has to restore discipline to the locker room. After managing Ajax for the final time on Sunday, United fans appreciated the cut of his jib, and even from across the North Sea, Ten Hag recognizes the need for a change.
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