Miguel Delaney: Inside the ‘culture war’ ripping through the heart of Manchester United

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag applauds the fans as he walks off at half time during the Premier League defeat to Liverpool at Old Trafford, Manchester

When Manchester United announced that they were sticking with Erik ten Hag in June, explanations to the media made specific mention of “the fans”.

The new club hierarchy were conscious of how supportive the mood was after the FA Cup win, and that it would have been a hugely unpopular decision to sack the Dutch coach at that point.