Erik ten Hag has been shortlisted for September’s Manager of the Month award, following his impressive turnaround at Manchester United.
The Dutchman is one of three candidates to win the award, along with Tottenham Hotspur’s Antonio Conte and AFC Bournemouth’s Gary O’Neil.
Given the postponed matches that plagued the Premier League this month, Ten Hag’s performance has been judged solely on the result against Leicester City and Arsenal.
The United manager outclassed Brendan Rodgers’ side on the first day of the month with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a goal from Jadon Sancho.
Goals from Antony and Marcus Rashford saw Manchester United end the Premier League’s only perfect start with an impressive victory over Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal the following Sunday.
That 3-1 victory is one of a series of results that have given Red Devils fans hope after a nightmarish start.
Since the ill-fated trip to Brentford, United have won four games in a row.
And while the Manager of the Month award is officially based on September results alone, it’s easy to see Ten Hag’s achievements as exceptional in light of the difficult circumstances created by United’s poor start to the season.
Should Ten Hag win the award, it will be the first time a United manager has been named Manager of the Month since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2019.
There is even more vindication of the Ten Hag effect among September’s Premier League awards.
Marcus Rashford, considered by many to have been eliminated a few weeks ago, is in the draw for Player of the Month after a scoring resurgence.
The Englishman’s brace ultimately won Arsenal’s game, and he has impressed by stepping into the striker role in Anthony Martial’s absence.
In reinvigorating Rashford and getting United’s season back on track, Erik ten Hag certainly seems to have a talent for bringing hope to the hopeless.
For more details and to vote on the Manager of the Month award, click here.
