Manchester United returned to winning ways in the Premier League and held on to secure a 2-1 win at Everton on Sunday.
The result was crucial for United after last week’s humiliating 3-6 derby defeat at the hands of Manchester City.
Erik ten Hag’s time as manager of the Red Devils has been mixed so far. Expectations were high after fans saw what he had done when he was in charge of Dutch champions Ajax.
Mixed results for ETH
The preseason was another reminder of his undoubted potential, but once the real thing began, questions immediately arose.
???? Pep Guardiola ???? Graham Potter ???? Thomas Frank
Roy Keane picks his top 3 current Premier League managers pic.twitter.com/whjn2w3bWV
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 10, 2022
United started with back-to-back defeats at the hands of Brighton and Brentford, with the players struggling to adjust to their new manager’s methods.
Ten Hag deserves credit for leading his team to a four-match winning streak, including wins over arch-rivals Liverpool and league leaders Arsenal.
That led to suggestions that United might be ready to challenge City, but things fell apart in the derby. And as it is, Ten Hag has a lot of work to do if he is to get his team into the top 4.
And that is exactly why United legend Roy Keane did not name the Dutch boss in the list of the top three managers in the league.
The former United captain appeared on Monday Night Football and when asked to reveal his top three managers, he chose Pep Guardiola, Thomas Frank and, surprisingly, Graham Potter, who left Brighton for Chelsea last month.
Guardiola’s record with City speaks for itself and since his arrival in England, the Spaniard has revolutionized the way football is played and his team is on course for another Premier League title.
Potter works wonders with Chelsea
Frank may be an odd choice, but considering the small budget Brentford operate on and the way they have played since their promotion to the top flight, it is clear what a good job he has done.
Potter had Brighton playing a fluid style of football and recently moved to Chelsea. There were question marks over whether he could manage at a big club and manage all the different egos in the dressing room.
So far, it hasn’t proved to be a problem, as Chelsea have won three of the four games since Potter took charge, including a commanding victory over AC Milan in the Champions League last night.
“And I like Graham Potter at Chelsea. I like the way his teams play, I like the way he presents himself in the media, I’m delighted that he gets the chance to play for a big club like Chelsea,” Keane said.
The London side are currently a point ahead of the Red Devils in fourth place and the two managers will go head-to-head in 10 days’ time. That will be a good indicator of which boss is currently getting the most out of their equipment.
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