Manchester United announced the appointment of Erik ten Hag as their new permanent manager on Thursday. The Dutch manager will take over from interim manager Ralf Rangnick after the end of the season. While many United fans were delighted with the news, rival fans expressed their doubts over the appointment.
The Red Devils have gone through a tough period in recent years, especially this season. They saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer getting sacked in November and Rangnick taking over.
Even then, they have fallen behind in the race for the fourth spot in the Premier League. They are sixth, three points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have a game in hand.
United will be finishing a fifth straight season without any silverware, with the last being the Europa League triumph under Jose Mourinho in 2017. They haven't won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. They appointed David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, among others, but failed to win the title.
The appointment of Ten Hag is being seen by many as the foundation for a big transformation at the club. Hence, while many fans are optimistic, many are still skeptical, especially rival fans, who took to Twitter to express themselves.
Here are some of the best Tweets from rival fans on Ten Hag's appointment:
Manchester United hope Erik ten Hag's announcement will give them a boost for the remainder of the season
While the Dutch manager will take charge next season, Manchester United will hope the announcement will give the current squad a psychological boost. United's players have often been accused of lacking desire and effort this season.
However, the announcement of the new manager brings some clarity into the club's near future. It will also give some players an opportunity to showcase their talent to make it into Ten Hag's squad next season.
Manchester United fans will hope that this helps them improve for the five remaining games of the season. They still have a slender chance of making it to the top four this season. They take on Arsenal on Saturday at the Emirates. The Gunners are fifth, three points above United with a game in hand.
Manchester United will hope to finish the season well as they look towards a major transformation in the summer and beyond.