sport news MARTIN SAMUEL: Erik ten Hag has been hoodwinked by the hoax that Manchester ... trends now

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Erik ten Hag arrived with the air of a man who did not suffer fools. Yet the moment he opened his mouth he appeared to have been hoodwinked by the biggest hoax of all.

The one in which Manchester United were the second best team in the country, and recently. He said it first in the official interview released by his new employers. Then he repeated it in his unveiling to the media. ‘Know that one year ago, this club, this team, was second in the Premier League,’ he said. ‘There’s potential and now it’s up to us to get that out.’

Well, yes and no. There will always be potential at Manchester United because of their size. They can pay big money, recruit good players, even in adversity. Yet it wasn’t untapped potential that propelled United to second place in 2020-21. It was luck.