Yeah Ten Hag was called successful in its first season although not as a winner but in 3rd place is a good achievement, Pep Guardiola in his first season also finished in 3rd place then in season 2 they could win the title so surprises could happen in the 2nd season, who knows. Ten Hag still has plenty of time until 2025 to build a Manchester United squad if he continues to be consistent I believe their chances are closer to the title. For this season Manchester United still need a new striker figure because with the current squad their strength is still difficult to compete with Manchester City, we know Manchester City is a complete team so to compete it takes a complete team as well.
Sometimes it turns out that "tough" coaches who emphasize discipline and subordination achieve success in the first season, but in the second season the tension in the relationship already becomes unbearable and the team regresses. Let's see how Ten Hag manages to avoid this. As for the goals for the season, I will be happy if United will be in the top 4. There is no chance of moving the City.
I don't think it's really impossible for Man United to take this opportunity this season. As was the case last season, where Arsenal put up quite a fierce resistance to Man City, it's just that they couldn't keep their consistency at the end of the season. If Man United can get off to a good start and they can maintain their consistency, I think Man United can become a serious challenger in the title race. It's not just Man United, I think Arsenal, Liverpool, and Chelsea also still have a chance to win the Premier League trophy.
maybe the order of the favorite clubs to win the EPL next season starts from Man City, Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham. I put Man City in first place because Pep Guardiola is a big influence, for Arsenal Arteta is very serious about building a squad this summer so that he spent a budget of more than 200 million and they deserve to be number two. Next Erik Ten Hag has also started to completely overhaul the Red Devils squad, Mason Mount and Onana will be new stars at Old Trafford and third place suits them. Chelsea are clearout to build a squad for next season, but the results of Mauricio Pochettino squad recruitment are not as luxurious as United. Next for Liverpool and Tottenham I assume the same with Chelsea.
But that's just a personal opinion and of course not looking down on EPL clubs as a whole, apart from the list of favorites maybe a new surprise will happen next season. Like Leicester in the 2016 season, no one had predicted and championed them beforehand, but the championship trophy at the end of the season silenced all predictions.