TEN WAYS TO SOLVE UTD CRISIS
operation. United took some heat off their boss with a lucky 1-0 victory at Fulham thanks to captain Bruno Fernandes’ 91st-minute winner. But the United manager is aware that he must find a solution to the crisis that has enveloped Old Trafford. United’s next four games are likely to define his reign after successive 3-0 home defeats at the hands of Manchester City and Newcastle raised fresh questions about whether he is right for the job. Ten Hag has lost eight of United’s 16 games all told this season. Now they face a makeor-break Champions League trip to Copenhagen and Premier League games against newly-promoted Luton, and Everton. That is followed by a trip to Galatasaray in the Champions League that is likely to determine whether United qualify for the knockout stages of the competition, move into the Europa League or are dumped out of Europe. Ratcliffe has agreed a £1.4billion deal with the Glazer family to buy a 25 percent stake in the club. Britain’s richest man wants to take control of the football operation – and the spotlight will fall on how Chief Executive Richard Arnold and Director of Football John Murtough recruit new players. Ratcliffe is understood to be concerned about the huge fees United have paid in recent years and whether the club has been getting value for money. He has earmarked a personal investment of almost £250million to be spent on the infrastructure once his deal has been signed. But the petrochemicals billionaire is also aware that money has to be made available to allow Ten Hag to bring more fresh blood into his squad in January. The Reds have already spent almost £400m on new signings since the Dutchman took charge in the summer of 2022. After yesterday’s lucky escape, relieved Ten Hag was quick to hail skipper Fernandes. A week on from former United captain Roy Keane claiming Fernandes did not warrant the armband, the Portuguese ace rifled in a beauty at Craven Cottage. Ten Hag said: “So often, from the moment I have made him my captain, he has done this. “He is an example to the others. He takes responsibility – on and off the pitch – including by scoring important goals. “I’m happy with my captain. He always has a great impact.” Ten Hag was also quick to praise another of his much-maligned men – defender Harry Maguire. Ten Hag said: “He was massive. It was a great performance. He showed great leadership – in and out of possession.” At the final whistle, Ten Hag’s troops celebrated wildly with the travelling faithful, who had unfurled a banner demanding, ‘Play like you mean it’. That message did not go unnoticed and midfielder Scott Mctominay said: “We saw it. The fans pay good money to come, their support is relentless. We want to repay them.”