If the camel’s back is not broken just let, then the sight of Manchester United conceding the latest winning goal in the history of the Premier League at Chelsea will have left the poor dromedary with a nasty case of lumbago.
As Cole Palmer struck in the 100 and the 101 minute, it was deja vu for visiting Manchester United supporters.
All throughout the campaign, Erik ten Hag’s side have been plagued by individual errors, dreadful in-game management, an alarming propensity to collapse under even the slightest hint of pressure, and a very obvious weakness when defending cut-backs.
That 4-3 defeat at Stamford Bridge epitomised everything bad about this Man United side in the space of just one evening. A 17 defeat of the season, and a 12 in the Premier League. Liverpool, by the way, arrive at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Will Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag?
Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe, watching on from above, certainly will not have been pleased by what he saw from the club he took over in December.
The whispers surrounding the future of the embattled Ten Hag have increased both in decibels and in regularity in recent weeks. And with Ratcliffe determined to ensure United have ‘best in class’ appointments across the board, Ten Hag is doing very little right now to suggest that he belongs in such company as Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and co.
Of course, with Liverpool also in the market for a new head coach – Barcelona and Bayern Munich too – Manchester United will not be short of competition in pursuit of, say, a Roberto de Zerbi or a Julian Nagelsmann.
The Independent reports that the latter, his Germany contract expiring after Euro 2024, is of increasing interest to the Red Devils.
Philippe Clement is yet to enter such discussions. But Dave King, the former Rangers chairman, would not be surprised to see the man currently in the Ibrox dugout attract interest too, especially if he succeeds in guiding the Glasgow giants to the Scottish Premiership titlelike Ange Postecoglou did with Celtic.
Should Red Devils really consider Rangers boss Philippe Clement
“I really think we have got a platform now and I just hope we are able to keep the manager,” King tells Rangers Review. “If you look at it right now and the international market for managers – I am watching it a lot with the Liverpool situation – and I say ‘Where is the quality of manager?’.
“Liverpool are looking for a manager. I think United will be looking for a manager. We have got Barcelona looking for a manager. Bayern looking for a manager.
“You look out there and ask; ‘Where are these managers?’ I would think that our present manager, particularly given that (Ange) Postecoglou has done so well with Spurs as well, I think we are going to have to work hard to hold onto him.
“Because there is a dearth of really good managers out there.”
Clement remains largely unproven at the top level of European football – despite winning three league titles in Belgium – but the same was said of Postecoglou when he took over Tottenham Hotspur last summer.
Spurs finished behind Man United in Ten Hag’s debut season but are now nine points ahead, nearly 12 months on.
United will face Clement in pre-season 2024, assuming he is still in charge at Ibrox at United take on Rangers.