Erik ten Hag was sacked this week as manager of Manchester United. AFP Photo

Paul Kennedy

Not for the first time and certainly not for the last, Manchester United messed up my week.

I had it all planned out. I’d done the research, backed up my information and virtually written my column for today’s newspaper.

With United in 14th position and playing Chelsea on Sunday, followed by games against the two teams below them, I was all set to boldly predict that manager Erik ten Hag would be sacked before the end of November with United languishing in the relegation zone.

And what happens? The powers that be at Old Trafford beat me to it, giving the Dutchman his marching orders earlier this week.

If the truth be known, it wasn’t really that big a surprise. United have been awful this season.

The only real question mark hangs over why on earth did they sign a new contract with ten Hag at the beginning of the season and give him a bucketful of money to spend?

Bad management if you ask me. Millions of dollars thrown down the drain.

Those in the know say that young Portuguese coach, Ruben Amorim, is about to put pen to paper and join United from Sporting Lisbon.

By all accounts he’s decent. Described by some even as ‘Mourinho 2.0’. Time will tell I guess.

A new manager brings about a boost in morale and whether it is Amorim, or anyone of the other names currently mooted, United could see an immediate change in fortunes on the pitch.

Those upcoming matches against Leicester and Ipswich take on a different meaning when the team and crowd are buzzing because of a new boss.

That’s short-term gain, but will there be long-term loss?

United are, not to put too finer point on it, in a mess. They’ve spent oodles of cash, or some might say wasted, on building a team to fit ten Hag’s way of thinking. And now he’s gone.

Amorim will want to spend too and I wonder how much more he will be given?

Plus, the January transfer window, his first opportunity to bring in his own players, can be notoriously expensive.

United have made the right move getting rid of ten Hag, albeit probably six months too late.

Amorim could be the answer to their mountain of problems. But then again, David Moyes was supposed to be the answer when he took over from Sir Alex Ferguson. Louis van Gaal was meant to be the answer too and Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag.

Interesting times ahead at United. VNS