A look at the decade since Manchester United’s last Premier League win in 2012-13

How do you go about summing up the last nine years at Manchester United? Frustrating; embarrassing, directionless, all of the above? The once optimistic chants of the Stretford End have now become dull and listless, fatigued and the thought of another campaign spent treading water, overpaying for big names on big wages without return on investment, both financially and in terms of performance. 

The arrival of Erik ten Hag marks a fifth permanent appointment as United boss since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, and while the club have seen intermediate, sporadic success and several false dawns, they’ve failed to find the right personnel to replicate the sheer aura of the Scot. 

Not for the want of trying, but even scratching the surface of Ferguson’s impressive trophy haul would be a massive success for a fanbase so accustomed to winning, yet starved of silverware for five seasons now. It’s been a strange decade since United last won the league, with a mixture of envy and bitterness towards rivals Liverpool and Manchester City, who have gone on to taste much greater success than anything the Red Devils could have fathomed when they were the usual favourites to back when making a football bet. 

Flash back a decade — before Ferguson’s departure shapes the club’s history. Had it not been for an iconic Sergio Agüero late winner in the dying embers at the Etihad, United would have won their 20th title. The noisy neighbours had won their first league, snatching it from the jaws of defeat and away from a United side who were within touching distance of another landmark at the Stadium of Light. 

Luckily, picking up silverware was second nature, and even with an ageing side, one that was exceptionally ordinary on paper but spearheaded by the arrival of Robin van Persie, United won the 12-13 Premier League — the last of Ferguson’s era. 

David Moyes was the man first tasked with continuing an era of dominance at Old Trafford, but his tenure lasted just under nine months before Ryan Giggs took over for the remainder of the 13-14 season. Then came the Louis van Gaal era, and while the Dutchman recruited some exciting players like Ángel Di María and Ander Herrera, he got the club back into the Champions League and won an FA Cup, but inconsistent performances meant he spent just two seasons in the dugout before being relieved of his duties.  

José Mourinho was Ferguson’s third permanent successor, and the board showed the financial backing they were reluctant to trust Van Gaal with by splurging out on a plethora of world class talent. Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all arrived as ‘The Special One’ offered a belt and braces approach which initially spawned the best seasons United fans have enjoyed to date. 

While the style of play came into question, more defensive than the conventional way of winning trophies, Mourinho picked up a League Cup and Europa League double in his first season as well as the Community Shield against Leicester City.

The following season he came second, the club’s highest finish since Ferguson’s retirement, and while Mourinho was mocked when suggesting the achievement was one of the best in his managerial career it’s safe to see why. A tough summer saw the toxicity of the United dressing room exposed and as best as the Portuguese tried, he was sacked after a 3-1 loss to Liverpool.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær momentarily brought the feel-good factor back to Old Trafford, winning fans over in a honeymoon period which was spearheaded by a late win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, but this only briefly papered over the ever-exposed cracks in the side, and two years of mediocrity entwined with a semi-final and final losses to Spanish opposition in the Europa League saw United just about salvage fourth in another trophyless season.

Solskjær was seen as something of a soft touch with the United players, and after returning to the Champions League, spent big on the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Raphaël Varane, the former of which has scored goals but has otherwise divided opinion over his work rate and role in the side. A good start to the season was followed by some cataclysmic defending, and a 4-1 away loss to Watford proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Solskjær was sacked but with the board hesitant to rush into another permanent appointment recruited Ralf Rangnick on a temporary basis. With Ten Hag now firmly in the managerial hot seat, he has to pick up the pieces after one of the worst seasons in the club’s history.  Only time will tell if he’ll deliver the club’s first trophy in five years, and if he can be the man to finally win that elusive 21st league title

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