Manchester United’s post Sir Alex Ferguson demise has been there for all to see, but just how far have United fallen in that decade?
Now on their fifth permanent manger since the great man called time on his illustrious career, United are still looking for the antidote to arrest the well-publicised slide.
The Daily Star have provided a table of points acquired since the beginning of the 2013/14 season.
United have gathered 626 points in that period, which sits them sixth in the overall table. Above United are City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal, respectively.
The details make for even worse reading. The almost 100 point difference to Liverpool in second is alarming, and the incredible 158-point gap between United and City speaks for itself.
The table does reflect the traditional top six, with United at the bottom of that pile, but the 142-point gap to Everton in seventh is sizable.
Ferguson’s hand-picked successor, David Moyes, sent the tone for the drop, finishing seventh and 22 points away from City, who won the league in the first season after Sir Alex’s retirement.
United then turned to the experienced Louis van Gaal. Unfortunately, the Dutchman’s possession-based style wasn’t cut out for the Premier League and didn’t provide much relief. United finished fourth and fifth in LvG’s two season stint, again below City which led to legitimate concerns of a power shift in Manchester.
Then came the guarantee, serial winner Jose Mourinho walked through the doors at Old Trafford with the promise of league titles. However, City had just appointed their own super-coach in Pep Guardiola. The two went to battle and it was Mourinho who came out second best – the Portuguese did manage a second place finish in 2017/18 but the 19-point difference to City was a chasm.
Whilst Mourinho was sinking, Liverpool were quietly building, Jurgen Klopp found a formula to turn the Premier League into a two horse race for the next four years, whilst United fell further behind not only those City and Liverpool, but the rest of the chasing pack.
Club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the next to have a crack and did equal Mourinho’s second place finish in the behind 2020/21, closed doors season. Again however, the gap of 12 points to City highlighted the gulf.
New season, new manager. Erik ten Hag is the next man tasked with bridging the gap and does currently find himself three points clear of Liverpool after seeing them off at Old Trafford in a notable victory. The Manchester derby is also next up for United, a chance for the new manager to cut the gap in points to City to a mere 153. No pressure, Erik.
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