UCL talking points: Should United sack Ten Hag? Who is MVP?

The 2023-24 Champions League group stage is over after a dramatic final day across Europe. Paris Saint-Germain clinched the last place in Group F in the round of 16 as AC Milan crashed out of the Europa League and Newcastle United finish last. Meanwhile, things were going from bad to worse for Manchester United, who also finished last in their group and are completely out of Europe.

We asked ESPN writers Gab Marcotti, Rob Dawson, Sam Marsden and Julien Laurens to answer some of our burning questions.

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1. Manchester United's problems pile up after exit from Europe as they hit new low. Is it time to move on from manager Erik ten Hag? Why why not?

Rob Dawson: Ten Hag has enough credit in the bank for what he did last season and at least deserves the chance to turn things around. There are bigger issues at Old Trafford than the manager and with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS coming to oversee football operations, Ten Hag should be the first to try his hand under the new regime. That said, results this season haven't been good enough and finishing last in Group A is a big blow, so things will need to change quickly or the pressure on the Dutchman will reach a point where there will be no other choice but to let him go.

Julien Laurens: This is a really difficult question. We saw some interesting things from him last season. There was a third place finish, the Carabao Cup win, some good individual form from some players and Old Trafford had become a fortress. So how did this season get so bad? I think Ten Hag took the progress for granted and just assumed the team would build on last year. He made a mistake in his recruitment and was also injured. If you add the Jadon Sancho problem, the Marcus Rashford problem and the media leak problem, you get the current mess. I think he's a good manager. A great one? I am not sure. Can he further improve this team and change its fortunes? That's almost what I think. So I would keep him until the end of the season and then see where United are at.

Sam Marsden: Managerial changes have hardly worked in the decade since Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United. Therefore, other than a possible bounce from a new manager, I see no reason to leave Ten Hag at this time. There were signs last season that he was making the right decision for United. He won a trophy and showed he won't shy away from big decisions. This season has been disastrous, sure, but the injuries haven't helped. Now is not the time for a manager change either, with Ratcliffe ready to step in and make structural changes across the club. The noise will increase, however, if United struggle at Liverpool this weekend.

Gab Marcotti: I don't think you can answer that question until you figure out who will choose his successor. This nonsense at United has gone on for too long. This should be the responsibility of the director of football, in conjunction with the general manager and owners. At present, United have one ownership group (the Glazers or rather Joel and Avram), another owner who has agreed to take over a minority stake in the club but whose deal has not yet been finalized (Ratcliffe ) and no general manager. since Richard Arnold left. They have a director of football, but it's John Murtough and it's not at all clear how empowered he is (signing all these Dutch Eredivisie alumni probably at the behest of Ten Hag is not a good move idea) or if Ratcliffe wants to keep him.

So until that part is sorted – and it may take a while as the pace of change at Old Trafford is often glacial – I don't see how you can leave Ten Hag (unless, of course, the situation doesn't become so Too bad you're appointing an interim boss… gee, Ralf Rangnick has done very well, hasn't he?) United will play six league matches (and one or two FA Cup matches) d here at the end of January. At this point, you hope, the takeover will be complete and either Murtough will be given real power or another guy will be placed above him. Now is the time to take stock and assess where you are. And if you feel like the team has holes (and it does), consider January loan signings: there's no shame in that, you won't get ripped off (hopefully -le) and you won't be stuck with the new manager's guys. I don't want to (if you make a change.)

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2. Which round of 16 would you most like to see?

Marcotti: Manchester City versus Paris Saint-Germain. Simple. I want the strongest seeded team against the strongest unseeded team. I want to see the favorites, whoever they are, face the toughest possible path to the final.

Dawson: Everyone wants to see great matches and PSG against Real Madrid would be the match of the tour. Not only would it be two teams with the ambition to win facing each other in the round of 16, but you would also have all the hustle and bustle of Kylian Mbappé – which would increase the noise around the two matches even more. Beyond that, a Bayern Munich versus Inter Milan match in a repeat of the 2010 final would be interesting. Inter are probably the best team in Italy right now and Bayern, with Harry Kane's goal, look like a team capable of winning it, even if they have obvious flaws.

Marsden: PSG against Man City, Bayern, Arsenal, Real Madrid or Barcelona. I would also really like to see Arsenal against Inter. Given Arsenal's absence from the Champions League since 2017, this looks like yet another clash between teams with different styles in an era where we so often see the same opponents go head-to-head. Given their form, and a lot can change before February, it will also be fascinating to see Barca face whoever they draw in a high-stakes knockout match after their recent European failures.

Laurent: I want a rematch of last season's final: Man City v Inter Milan. I want to see how Simone Inzaghi and his players will fare against Pep Guardiola and his men now, with the experience of what happened in Istanbul six months ago. Imagine the atmosphere at San Siro for the first leg. No Romelu Lukaku this time, but a fit Marcus Thuram. Inter are the best team among the finalists, better than PSG or Napoli, while Man City are still the better team on the seeded side of the draw.

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3. Who is your group stage MVP and why?

Marcotti: I'm going to choose Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham. He scored four goals from midfield, including two winners, one of them coming in the middle of injury time. For my money, he's the best player in the world right now. Would Madrid still have progressed without him? Maybe. But everything went much smoother when he took charge.

Marsden: Bellingham too. The 20-year-old was the standout player as Madrid once again established their Champions League credentials by winning all six of their games in a group they made look easier than they were.

Laurent: I loved Antoine Griezmann's performance in this group stage. He scored five goals (his highest total in the groups), he led by example and was remarkable in this very interesting Atletico Madrid team. His partnership with Álvaro Morata from the start is great because they understand and complement each other so well. Griezmann, in this kind of form, is certainly one of the best players in the competition.

Dawson: Man City boss Pep Guardiola. The Champions League group stage isn't easy – just look at Barcelona last season and Manchester United this year – but City are slipping season after season. It was no different this time as the defending champions won six out of six to finish top of Group G with two days remaining and secure a place among the top seeds in the round of 16. There is a lot of pressure on the big guys. teams because they have targets on their backs but that doesn't seem to bother City. In eight attempts, Guardiola took them out of the group eight times. United, for their part, are desperate for a record like that.

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4. Let's reevaluate our predictions for day three. Which team do you prefer to win it all?

Marcotti: Manchester City, obviously. No team is perfect (and we've discovered some flaws), but they have fewer flaws than anyone else. Oh, and that Kevin De Bruyne guy will probably be back soon after his injury.

Laurent: I think this could be an open and interesting knockout stage if the draw is good and the top teams avoid each other early on. Manchester City remains my favorites because it's City, Guardiola and Erling Haaland. De Bruyne will also be back in the new year and will add another dimension. The chasing pack isn't far behind, so City can't take anything for granted.

Marsden: I'm not moving from City, despite some setbacks in the Premier League. On their day, I think they stand in a league of their own in the Champions League, followed by a group of clubs including Madrid, Bayern and Arsenal.

Dawson: Everyone said City (they're probably right), but just to be different, I think it will be either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. In Kane, Bayern have a player who can make the difference in tight games – just like he did against Man United with a ridiculous pass to Kingsley Coman for his goal. Real Madrid have the weight of history behind them and so does Bellingham, who don't seem to be doing anything wrong. Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid, what a final that would be.