ERIK TEN HAG joined Manchester United last summer with expectations the lowest they had been since before Sir Alex Ferguson took over in the mid-Eighties.
But the Dutchman is enjoying quiet success with the club already, leading them to a first trophy since 2017 and closing in on Champions League football next season.
Beyond his wildest expectations however, would be the Premier League’s latest manager longevity stats.
Former Ajax boss Ten Hag is now the NINTH longest serving manager in the league, having only joined nine months ago.
That is mainly down to the fact that all but TWO clubs in the Premier League’s bottom half have parted company with their managers this season.
Only Steve Cooper at Nottingham Forest and David Moyes at West Ham have managed to remain in post all season with their clubs in the bottom half.
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And both of those managers are still the subject of speculation over their positions, with their sides losing in midweek.
The Premier League’s longest serving manager is Jurgen Klopp, who is in his eighth year at Liverpool.
And despite the Reds sitting eighth after a disappointing season, the German’s position is not thought to be under threat.
The Premier League’s second longest serving manager is Pep Guardiola, who arrived at Man City in 2016.
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And with City still challenging for the treble, it is not thought that he will be going anywhere any time soon.
Thomas Frank takes the bronze medal, having joined Brentford in 2018.
And astonishingly, Mikel Arteta is the FOURTH longest serving Premier League manager.
It feels like only yesterday when the Arsenal boss took over from Unai Emery, but he has now been at the club for over three years and has the Gunners closing in on a first title in 19 seasons.
No fewer than four Premier League clubs are now managed by interim bosses – Southampton (Ruben Selles), Leicester (Adam Sadler and Mike Stowell), Tottenham (Cristian Stellini) and Chelsea, following the return of Frank Lampard.
And Saints interim boss Selles is already the 15th longest serving manager in the Premier League, having been in the hotseat longer than the permanent Leeds and Crystal Palace managers.
There have been 12 sackings in this season’s Premier League, beating the record of ten, which was set in four seasons including, most recently, 2017/18.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
