For the Manchester United executives tasked this week with sacking Michael Carrick and appointing a third manager this year, all roads lead back to the fateful decision to extend Erik ten Hag’s contract in July 2024.

If they had their time again, Ten Hag would have been dismissed in the aftermath of winning the FA Cup and Thomas Tuchel or Roberto De Zerbi would, in all likelihood, have been installed as manager.

It was, they accept now, a fundamental mistake to keep Ten Hag and, in doing so only to sack him 116 days later, caused what insiders described on Thursday as a “domino effect” that they feel has shaped much of the turbulence of the ensuing two-and-a-half years.

Had Ten Hag gone then, it is improbable they would have been looking for a new manager just a few months into the 2024-25 season and maybe the Ruben Amorim and Carrick eras would never have come to pass.

In hindsight, United’s top brass certainly feel like the picture would look rather different now.

Instead, Mauricio Pochettino is about to become United’s eighth permanent manager in the 13 years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and will take over a team in the relegation zone at a time when the competence of the people running the club is being openly questioned by furious fans at war with the ownership.

Some supporters will consider it a start that there at least appears to be some acceptance of big mistakes being made, as well as an understanding about why Carrick, a club legend who carried himself with decorum throughout, should feel so sore about the handling of his sacking.

After all, he deserved better than to be left hanging while United lined up Pochettino and Jason Wilcox, the director of football, and chief executive, Omar Berrada, went to see Sir Jim Ratcliffe, on instruction admittedly, in Monaco.

Others, of course, will feel that changes are imperative after so many mistakes have left Pochettino with an enormous job on his hands.

But Berrada and Wilcox retain the backing and faith of Ratcliffe to navigate United out of this mess with Pochettino about to come on board, even if it is very hard for those in charge to sell the idea with confidence that things are not as chaotic behind the scenes as many fans believe and fear.

First Ten Hag, then Amorim 14 months later, then Carrick 10 months after that. An eighth-place finish, followed by 15th and then last season’s third, only to currently sit in 18th position, a point from safety.

It is not a persuasive body of work but, in all three scenarios, the feeling internally was that the pressure became so immense that it generated a level of underperformance and downturn that meant change was unavoidable.

Those in charge accept that they underestimated the magnitude of the pressure, noise and scrutiny that comes with United, especially when the team is struggling.

And that it takes a manager with broad shoulders and a certain personality and experience to handle that, in addition to needing the tactical nous and innovation to construct and maintain a winning team. Why it has taken so long to recognise that is hard to know.

Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, but he was too school-masterly, oversaw a series of dreadful signings and his team was too open.

Amorim was too inexperienced and emotional. As for Carrick, they felt he was the best of the three at keeping calm amid the Old Trafford pressure cooker and had done so well in giving the players some freedom after Amorim, and leading the club back into the Champions League last season.

But there was concern the team lacked a robust structure and when results spiralled, that manifested itself in the side being chaotic at both ends of the pitch.

The counterpoint to all of that is that if recruitment had been better across the board, United would not have struggled as much as they did, regardless of who was in the dugout.

Carrick was certainly done few favours after an underwhelming summer window when United opted not to push the boat out for key targets in the face of financial limitations, and the defence especially looked vulnerable.

At the same time, United’s hierarchy feel the squad is much better than results and performances are showing and accept a number of key injuries have not helped.

There is still a belief United can achieve European qualification if Pochettino can spark the sort of bounce Carrick did from January last season.

How Pochettino handles the ownership structure and interacts with Berrada and Wilcox remains to be seen.

Those at the helm insist the lines of communication are simple and straightforward, despite outside perceptions to the contrary, and that there remains a sense of togetherness between them all, including Ratcliffe and his fellow co-owners the Glazers.

The level of abuse directed at Wilcox has been dimly received internally, but there is an acceptance that the role attracts a level of exposure and scrutiny unlike any other football club in the country.

Speak to those who know Berrada and they will insist he still has the energy, drive and belief that he can lead United forward. And that the progress in cutting costs, edging forward on the stadium project and developments in other areas of the club are often overlooked amid the problems at first-team level.

Ultimately, though, Ratcliffe and his team will be judged by what happens on the pitch and there are going to have to be huge improvements from here. Another managerial failure is unthinkable.