After Bruno Fernandes’ injury-time goal against Fulham on Saturday gave Manchester United a victory, Erik ten Hag remarked, “It’s a good dressing room and they fight for each other.” And there might be some validity to that. When a manager is under pressure, a lot is made of whether the team is still battling for him. It’s safe to say that this is not a team that is docilely accepting their fate, as they have won four of their previous six games thanks to last-minute heroics. However, if you find yourself needing to leave jail frequently, it’s certainly worthwhile to investigate your initial offense.

There were whispers at the end of last week following United’s 3-0 losses to Manchester City and Newcastle that Ten Hag would be fired if United lost against Fulham. However, the truth is that he is likely safe until Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25% takeover of the team is finalized. However, Ratcliffe will have an obvious question to address with Ten Hag’s future as soon as he becomes control of the football side of things.

Even in August, that would have looked unlikely, as Ratcliffe was eager to name Ten Hag at Nice, the French club he owned. Amid the tumult last season, Ten Hag appeared to be remarkably clear-sighted. He changed his strategy after realizing he could not expect David De Gea to play out of the back following the first losses to Brentford and Brighton. He was effective in overseeing Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit, since the player had turned into a costly distraction and was never going to be able to push in the manner that Ten Hag’s Ajax-inspired philosophy required. The Carabao Cup was even won by United, their first championship since 2017.

Nevertheless, Ten Hag is in some way at the point where every game looks important three months into the season. Their hopes of advancing from a group that was considered relatively benign at the time of the draw appear to depend on their performance in Wednesday’s Champions League match against FC Copenhagen, which they play away from home against Bayern and at home against Galatasaray. Although the victory against Fulham was essential to halting the feeling of collapse, Herbert Bamlett should still be mentioned because the season has started poorly enough.

Over the past ten years, United supporters have heard much too much about Bamlett. In 1909, with United trailing Burnley in an FA Cup contest, he was the referee who called the game due to heavy snowfall. After the game was rescheduled, United prevailed and won the Cup for the first time. Later on, he was promoted to manager, and in 1930–31, he managed United’s relegation to the second level following the team’s 12–0 start to the season. Since then, United has only lost five of its first ten home games in this season.

The Bamlett Invocation, a sign that the end is approaching, feels like a crucial component of the United managerial cycle. Managers are chewed up by this work. United is the most successful team in English history in terms of league titles won, but they have only ever won the league under three different managers; frustrating runs like the one the team is presently experiencing are a part of the club’s history.Maybe there’s something about United that makes it impossible to manage for anyone but the most charismatic boss, but the ownership has been the clear issue lately. Under the Glazers, Alex Ferguson might have been able to keep it running, but ever since his departure in 2013, the club has suffered from a lack of funding for the stadium, the academy, the recruitment office, and yes, even media facilities. A substantial amount of money has been spent on players, but there has been no consistent trend beyond a preference for costly promises that fall short of expectations and costly band-aid solutions to cover the gaps caused by the overall incoherence.

Although Ten Hag has had more control over transfers than many of his predecessors, and none of the 16 players who have arrived during his rule have been undeniably successful, it is still concerning that he is somewhat of a victim of that. At Ajax, Antony, who cost $101 million and played for Ten Hag, has grown into a massive millstone. And although there was bravery in the heroics that were needed to defeat Fulham, Sheffield United, Brentford, Copenhagen (at home), and Copenhagen, there was only resentment in the disastrous losses to City and Newcastle.

Ferguson’s six successor managers are all partially to blame for the ailment. While some people are more at fault than others, the boardroom is where the real problems reside. It is unrealistic to think that a new manager will instantly turn around United’s performance. However, it is customary procedure to replace the manager of a failing club.

Ten Hag should be spared in the near future by waiting for Ratcliffe, but once a decline starts, it is difficult to stop. It’s possible that Ratcliffe’s presence may improve the atmosphere and boost morale, or that Ten Hag will regain his self-assurance and clarity of thought, but for now, the same pattern keeps happening.