Erik ten Hag’s Man Utd record compared to Jose Mourinho

There are certainly similarities between Erik ten Hag and Jose Mourinho when it comes to their respective spells in the Manchester United dugout.

Both have brought silverware to Old Trafford – an increasingly difficult thing to achieve – but left the club’s supporters dejected and deeply concerned about the direction that the Red Devils are travelling in.

Ten Hag’s time as Man Utd boss is not over yet but performances and results need to improve drastically if the Dutchman is to avoid the same fate as Mourinho.

But just how similar has Ten Hag’s stint been to that of the divisive Portuguese coach?

For the sake of fairness, we’ll be comparing the record of Ten Hag and Mourinho across their first two seasons at Old Trafford, which were remarkably similar when it comes to win record and percentage.

In 2016/17 and 2017/18, Mourinho took charge of 120 matches as Man Utd boss, securing 74 wins (61.7%). In comparison, during 2022/23 and 2023/24, Ten Hag’s Red Devils played and won six fewer matches, with a final win percentage of just 59.1%.

However, there is a notable difference when it comes to how difficult both Man Utd teams were to beat. The club lost just 21 of the 120 matches under Mourinho and secured 25 draws, while Ten Hag was beaten 31 times with just 15 draws.

Man Utd’s more cautious and organisational approach under Mourinho may not have been a joyous watch, but it certainly made the Red Devils a more challenging side to play against.

Winning record in first two seasons

We see evidence of Mourinho’s ability to organise a well-structured defence when looking at goals scored and conceded. The Portuguese’s Red Devils scored 206 times across his first two campaigns – one fewer than Ten Hag’s side in six more matches – but only conceded 86 times, leaving them with a goal difference of +120.

Ten Hag can only dream of such a record, with his Man Utd allowing a staggering 156 goals across his first two campaigns, resulting in a goal difference of just +51. The 13-time Premier League champions actually conceded 87 times in 52 matches during the 2023/24 season alone, which is more than Mourinho’s United conceded in the entirety of his first two years.

If Ten Hag wants to keep his job, then fixing the Red Devils’ defensive frailties must be priority number one.

Goal difference over first two seasons

Despite the negativity that surrounded Mourinho’s spell in charge of United, he is the last manager to win a European trophy with the club. The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur boss guided the club to the 2016/17 Europa League final, beating Ajax – yet to be managed by Ten Hag – in the showpiece event.

Mourinho had already claimed the Community Shield after beating Leicester City in the season’s curtain-raiser, and the EFL Cup after edging Southampton 3-2 in the final courtesy of an inspired Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

While Mourinho didn’t win anything in his second season at the helm, he did guide Man Utd to a second-placed Premier League finish, something he has described as “one of the best jobs” of an illustrious career.

Ten Hag’s trophy cabinet roughly mirrors Mourinho’s. While there is no Community Shield or European silverware to boast, the Dutchman also claimed the EFL Cup in his first season in charge, beating Newcastle United in the final at Wembley.

While Man Utd recorded their lowest ever Premier League finish (eighth) in 2023/24 and embarrassed themselves in the Champions League, Ten Hag did still secure silverware in the form of the FA Cup. It wasn’t a convincing journey to the final but the Red Devils did triumph over their local rivals Manchester City on the big day.

Trophies won over first two seasons

Man Utd knew exactly what to expect from Mourinho. The king of discipline and grinding out victory no matter the process, the experienced coach was never going to wow audiences at Old Trafford with slick, one-touch football.

And so it proved during his relatively short spell in Manchester, with fans initially bowing to Mourinho’s impressive track record and trophy cabinet before growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of ambition shown in and out of possession.

While Mourinho was known for sticking to his plan too rigidly, Man Utd supporters are still trying to work out what the plan is under Ten Hag. The Dutchman was famed for his passing philosophy during his time with Ajax – most notably in the 2018/19 Champions League semi-final run – but that style has not been implemented at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag started by claiming he didn’t have the personnel to employ his preferred system but that’s no longer an excuse he can provide after four trasnfer windows. The fact that Man Utd still remain a tactical mystery without any coherent organisation has to come down to the coach.

In all honesty, both Mourinho and Ten Hag have severely underwhelmed the Old Trafford faithful. To quote Red Devils legend Gary Neville, choosing which style you prefer is like picking which man you want to nick your wife.

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