Erik ten Hag has 11 games in 2024/25 to prove popular Manchester United theory wrong

Manchester United's preparation for the 2024/25 Premier League season is underway.

The club's transfer targets were drafted months ago, the summer transfer window has opened and the Premier League have announced the fixture list for the campaign.

United have the privilege of opening the new season against Fulham on August 16 and Erik ten Hag will oversee his third year in charge at Old Trafford. The Dutchman's first campaign was a resounding success but United regressed last season and must improve.

There was uncertainty around Ten Hag's position after the FA Cup final but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has backed him to continue, giving him the chance to operate with a fully fit squad.

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Ten Hag was forced to contend with an unrelenting injury crisis throughout the 2023/24 campaign and INEOS' review concluded injuries were concentrated in key positions.

Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Jonny Evans and Aaron Wan-Bissaka all spent time on the sidelines with injuries and Ten Hag was forced to pick a different backline almost every week, which he felt was hugely detrimental.

United went most of the season without their senior left-backs, Shaw and Malacia, and the squad recorded over 60 separate cases of injury or illness that caused players to miss matches. Martinez and Shaw are particularly important to how Ten Hag wants to play and their return to fitness will be a huge boost.

This summer, United are targeting the signings of a few high-quality players and if Rashford finds his 2022/23 season form, the foundations for an improved campaign are there.

Ten Hag is set to sign a new contract, which United hope will end the narrative around his future, but a strong start to the season must be made to alleviate pressure on his position.

United have to give Ten Hag a new contract to prevent the narrative around him from engulfing the start of the new campaign, which is supposed to be a clean slate, but contracts don't carry the same importance they once did - clubs regularly cut ties with their managers midway through their contracts.

Rightly or wrongly, there's a feeling that Ten Hag will still be on trial next season and supporters are hoping he can address the team's problems and oversee a significant turnaround.

Should United start the season poorly - they play Fulham, Brighton, Liverpool, Southampton and Crystal Palace in their opening five games - the narrative will be around Ten Hag and the decision to keep him after contacting other managers earlier in the year. That is inevitable if they suffer bad results.

The dream scenario is for United to begin the campaign well and return to their 2022/23 performance levels. An early victory in the season against Liverpool at Old Trafford would be a huge boost for Ten Hag and provide the players with momentum and confidence going into autumn.

The November international break is a dreaded milestone in the season for managers because it's the perfect opportunity to make a managerial change after 11 games. United must start the season strongly, otherwise that international break could look ominous for Ten Hag.

That is a cynical way to look at the fixture list. The other, more hopeful way to approach the new season is by looking back at United's performance in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Ten Hag had most of his key players available, which helped to produce the most impressive display of his tenure so far.

United were exceptional against Manchester City, Ten Hag's tactics were brilliant and Pep Guardiola was outdone. That performance showed what Ten Hag can achieve with a fit squad, despite also raising questions about why he didn't make a tactical compromise sooner.

It will be fascinating to see how United have fared after the 11-game mark in the Premier League next season. Making a positive start will be more important than ever.

Ten Hag will be meticulous in his preparations and fans are desperate for him to get it right. They remained behind him last season and that connection remains strong.