Supporters might have been forgiven for thinking it was Groundhog Day when Manchester United were humbled during their Premier League opener with Brighton and one former Old Trafford favourite certainly thought so when dusting off his microphone in the television studio.
Despite pursuing him publicly throughout the summer months, United missed out on signing their priority transfer target Frenkie de Jong - before recruiting Casemiro - and it initially looked as though Ten Hag would have to find a solution to long-standing central midfield problems in-house.
However, after bringing in Christian Eriksen on a free transfer, the Dutchman revised his position and deployed him a little deeper to what he was accustomed at Tottenham and other former clubs. It's a subtle change which has not only benefited the Danish playmaker, either.
