Manchester United’s rollercoaster of a managerial search finally seems to be over.
At one point it looked as though Mauricio Pochettino would be the next boss to grace the Old Trafford dugout, though it's now expected that Ralf Rangnick will be appointed as interim manager until the end of the season.
Rangnick will then take up a consultancy role within the club but for now, his brief is to get United's shambolic campaign back on track.
The German has garnered a cult-like following in football. Seen as the pinnacle of football hipsterism, Rangnick's 'Godfather of the Gegenpress' tag has seen him lauded by some of the world's elite managers.
The likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel have developed a style of coaching based on Rangnick's footballing ethos.
However, one particular disciple of his should give United fans the best example of what to expect from Rangnick’s short-term tenure as a manager.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was hired by Rangnick for RB Leipzig back in 2016 when they were a newly-promoted team in the Bundesliga, and in their first season in the top flight, Leipzig finished second behind only Bayern Munich.
So why does Hasenhuttl stand out as the best example in comparison to the likes of Tuchel and Klopp?
Unlike the Chelsea and Liverpool bosses who have merely been inspired by Rangnick's style, Hasenhuttl has stuck rigidly to his mentor's philosophy, including his preferred 4-4-2 formation that is, to put it simply, not a regular 4-4-2.
The midfield four resembles more of a box than a diamond or a straight line when it comes to pressing and build-up play, while the fluid nature of his tactics means no midfielder is restricted to one position in the middle of the pitch.
It would be no surprise to see someone like Jadon Sancho playing behind the forwards when the system changes to more of a 4-2-2-2. Sancho has played as an attacking midfielder before and he could take up a role similar to that of Mohamed Elyounoussi at Southampton.
The Saints have enjoyed some great times under Hasenhuttl, including a 2-0 victory away to Chelsea in 2019, numerous jaunts into the latter rounds of cup competitions and more recently an 8-0 demolition of Newport County in the Carabao Cup.
Of course, looking at Hasenhuttl’s style at Southampton and copying it at United won't be plain sailing.
Southampton’s full-backs are the catalysts for their side's creativity, with the likes of Tino Livramento shining offensively for the Saints this season.
This could be a worry for United fans with Aaron Wan-Bissaka struggling to provide an offensive outlet. Even though Wan-Bissaka is a great defender and a very underrated ball-progressor and dribbler, it would be surprising if he could cope with such an enormous creative burden on his shoulders.
Of course, there are instances of other disciples of Rangnick using more defensive full-backs, as Nagelsmann did with Nordi Mukiele at RB Leipzig.
The biggest elephant in the room regarding Hasenhuttl’s system is quite obviously the 9-0 drubbings his side have been handed by United and Leicester City.
Since Rangnick’s system involves a high line and aggressive pressing, opposition players with great vision and technical quality can easily cut through the opposition with quick counters. We saw both United and Leicester do this with ease, slicing Southampton apart on their way to an absurd scoreline.
Hasenhuttl has had ups and downs at Southampton and Rangnick’s system has let him down at times, but Rangnick will be working with a group of players who, no disrespect, are of much better quality than the players at Hasenhuttl's disposal.
United fans should be wary of certain aspects of Rangnick's style like his traditional high press, but as we’ve seen with Southampton and Hasenhuttl, when it works, it really works.
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