Erik ten Hag
Manchester United's Dutch manager Erik ten Hag shakes hands with Bayern Munich's Austrian midfielder (#27) Konrad Laimer after the UEFA Champions League group A football match between Manchester United and FC Bayern Munich at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north west England, on December 12, 2023. PETER POWELL / AFP

All the hard work Manchester United put in to qualify for the Champions League has gone to waste after bowing to Bayern Munich, 1-0, on Tuesday, December 12, at Old Trafford.

The loss relegated the Red Devils to the bottom of the ladder in Group A, also knocking them out of contention for any future European competitions this season, per ESPN FC.

"We didn't lose it today," United coach Erik ten Hag said via The Guardian. "We had some good performances [in the group], but we made some mistakes and in the end it's not good enough."

Kingsley Coman's lone goal at the 70-minute was all Bayern needed to stay atop the standings. But that same goal also told heavily on the Red Devils, who many thought got a favorable draw. Aside from Bayern, other teams in Group A were FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray.

What went wrong for Manchester United?

The Red Devils had an erratic season. They got their share of wins and losses, something that told heavily on them in the end.

However, most believe that the real problem for Man Utd is management. Most believe that unless the executive level changes, the Red Devils will continue to be lost as it tries to find its identity, TalkSport suggested.

It remains to be seen if a management shakeup is coming as the Red Devils try to figure out their ugly predicament.

With the Champions League hopes dashed, the Red Devils focus on the Premier League. They are set to face Liverpool on Sunday, December 17, hoping to erase the stigma of their heartbreaking exit from the Champions League.