The darker days: Ranking Manchester United’s managers since Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson's 27-year reign as Manchester United manager glittered with success.

Sir Alex retired in May 2013, finishing his career by winning the Premier League title, his 13^th league title as the boss of Manchester United.

Since 2013, Manchester United has had six proper first-team managers, excluding Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs, who took over short caretaker roles.

While some have restored some pride from the past, most managers have not been able to restore United to its glory days.

Here is Manchester United's post-Sir Alex Ferguson's managers ranked from worst to best!

In a Manchester United team possessing Cristiano Ronaldo, Ralf Rangnick looked out of his depth when he became the Manchester United manager in December 2021.

The Austrian coach couldn't bring the United dressing room together, winning only 11 games in the 29 matches he was in charge of. Rangnick was supposed to stay in a consultancy role at the club, but he left to manage the Austrian national team.

Sir Alex Ferguson chose David Moyes as his successor after leaving the club in 2013. Moyes struggled with the media scrutiny and pressure of filling Sir Alex's shoes, leading the team to a dismal seventh place after United had won the league in the previous season.

Moyes' poor choices in the transfer window and lack of pulling power for players led to United winning 27 and losing 15 games out of his 51 matches in charge. He didn't last the season.

Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal tried to implement a 'total football' approach when he was appointed by Manchester United in 2014.

United played some inspired football under Van Gaal, finishing fourth in the Premier League in his first season and winning the FA Cup in his second. Despite that, an early knockout in the Champions League and a 3-0 loss to Tottenham in his second year lost Van Gaal the dressing room and his job.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got United supporters believing again when he took charge of the club in 2018. He led the club to a shock away win at PSG, a Europa League final, a semi-final in the League Cup and FA Cup, and led United to a third and second-place finish in the Premier League.

Solskjaer put his blood, sweat, and tears into the job at United, winning 91 games in 168 matches. However, his side fell to pieces at the start of the 2021-22 season, leading to his sacking in December 2021.

The 'Special One' Jose Mourinho is still the most successful manager since Sir Alex left the United job, winning the League Cup, Europa League, and Community Shield in the 2016-17 season.

After a loss to Sevilla in the Champions League round of 16 in the second season, things started to spiral for Mourinho. He did finish second in his second season, but after receiving no backing from the board and his constant attack on the players in the media, Mourinho was sacked in 2018.

In just over half a season in charge of Manchester United, Erik ten Hag has restored the pride of the club and finally got the team into a place where they can challenge for years to come.

His hard-nosed dealing with Cristiano Ronaldo, getting United back into the top four, knocking Barcelona out of the Europa League, and a League Cup trophy has shown ten Hag can be the first manager since Sir Alex to restore United of their former glory.