After over two and a half years at the helm, Erik ten Hag’s time as Manchester United manager has officially come to an end.

Despite delivering domestic silverware, the Dutch manager faced mounting challenges and ultimately could not bring stability to Old Trafford. Now, former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will take over as interim manager, tasked with reversing the club's fortunes.

United’s poor start to the Premier League season, coupled with a disappointing Europa League campaign, intensified the scrutiny on Ten Hag. United currently sit 14th in the league, with just three wins from nine matches, and have yet to secure a win in their first three European outings.

The latest blow—a 2-1 defeat to West Ham—sealed the fate of Ten Hag, who joined the club hoping to succeed where predecessors David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had all fallen short.

In his first full season, Ten Hag led United to a respectable third-place league finish, a notable improvement, but an eighth-place finish last season, United’s worst-ever in Premier League history, raised questions.

Though he managed to secure a League Cup victory in the 2022/23 campaign and followed it up with an FA Cup win in 2023/24, these successes could not mask the painful setbacks United endured.

Let's take a look at such five biggest instances where Manchester United and the fans were left embarrassed under the stewardship of Erik Ten Hag-

5. Manchester City 6-3 Manchester United – October 2022

Early in Ten Hag’s tenure, United faced a crushing 6-3 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. City’s Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored hat-tricks, giving Ten Hag’s squad a harsh lesson in Manchester’s cross-town rivalry.

Although goals from Antony and Anthony Martial salvaged some pride, the defeat exposed glaring weaknesses and highlighted the gulf between the two sides.

4. Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool – September 2, 2024

In the current season, United faced a painful 3-0 defeat to Liverpool under the guidance of manager Arne Slot. With Luis Diaz scoring a brace and Salah adding a third, Liverpool showed their superiority, leaving United and their fans ravaged.

3. Crystal Palace 4-0 Manchester United – May 2024

This Premier League loss marked a new low in an already challenging season, with injury-ridden United overwhelmed by Crystal Palace.

It was United’s 13th defeat of the season, setting a club record for most Premier League losses in a single campaign. Michael Olise, Jean-Philippe Mateta, and Tyrick Mitchell led the charge for Palace, further highlighting the struggles faced by Ten Hag’s squad.

2. Sevilla 3-0 Manchester United – April 2023

The Europa League quarter-finals saw United squander a 2-0 lead from the first leg, only to be completely outplayed by Sevilla in Spain.

Defensive errors, notably from goalkeeper David de Gea, led to an embarrassing exit for United. Sevilla’s 3-0 win sparked criticism over Ten Hag’s inability to deliver consistently on the continental stage.

1. Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United – March 5, 2023

Arguably the most harrowing defeat during Ten Hag’s reign, Manchester United suffered their worst loss since the 1930s with this 7-0 thrashing by Liverpool at Anfield.

Despite optimism following United’s Carabao Cup win and a strong performance against Barcelona in the Europa League, Jurgen Klopp’s side completely dismantled them. Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, and Mohamed Salah all netted braces, while Roberto Firmino added a final insult. This match not only set a modern-day record for United’s heaviest defeat against Liverpool but also left fans reeling from the historic loss.

Other Notable Losses Under Ten Hag

While the five losses above stand out, there were other challenging moments for Ten Hag, including a 4-0 defeat to Brentford and a 3-0 loss to Bournemouth, both of which contributed to the mounting pressure.

Despite lifting United’s first trophies since 2017, Ten Hag’s tenure will likely be remembered as a turbulent period, filled with highs and lows.