How Manchester United’s world fell apart – again

There was a bleak feel to the spectacle at Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag and his players walked around the pitch amid pouring rain to applaud fans who had remained in the stands to the final whistle. Those few hundred in the Stretford End kept singing, even though there was not much to sing about; the tone not so much defiance as obligation.

Alejandro Garnacho, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana were among the last to go down the tunnel. Thoughts must have been whirring in their minds about how quickly Manchester United have plunged into turmoil already this season and what needs to change to engineer a turnaround.

There was nothing particularly unusual in the dressing room afterwards. Just a determination to “reset”, starting in the Europa League game at Porto on Thursday, with Ten Hag telling his players there is “always a new day”.

But, inevitably, focus will fall on whether Ten Hag has the ability to bring sunlight to that new day because this was a dark occasion, a second 3-0 defeat in as many Premier League home matches, having played one of the worst halves of football in recent memory in the opening period.

Afterwards, Ten Hag said he was not thinking about being scrutinized for his job. “We all made in togetherness this decision in the summer to stay together,” he said, in reference to the review which saw United interview other candidates for his position, such as Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi, only to decide to stick with him.

“We made the decision, after a clear review, what we have to improve as an organisation and how to construct a squad. All decisions made in togetherness, also knowing it would take some time given how the window went. We are all there on one page, one boat, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, the players, too.”

United’s shambolic first half was greeted by stoney faces in a directors’ box that included INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford and United’s CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.

Privately, those in charge are echoing Ten Hag’s sentiments — that altering the infrastructure and working practices at the club was the main priority when INEOS arrived and patience is required to allow that to bed in and see results. Berrada and Ashworth only went public unequivocally backing Ten Hag at the start of this month, so changing course now would be a volte-face and out of keeping for executives who like to be driven by a methodical process.

Another consideration is that Ten Hag was allowed to pick his own coaches, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, and have an influence on signings.

Likewise, the managerial landscape has not changed much from that period in May and June when those in charge at United scoured the market for possible replacements, ultimately deciding on Ten Hag. Gareth Southgate is now available having left his role with England and has links to Ashworth and Brailsford, but that is as far as it goes on him.

The pressure is sure to build on the decision-makers, however, should Porto and Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa provide more of the same, especially as another international break is looming. Gary Neville and Ashley Young, two former United captains, suggested on Sky Sports that the players should have a meeting without Ten Hag to decide how to proceed. That is the kind of media conjecture that will fill the narrative unless results improve dramatically.

“We started the game very poor after we conceded a goal like we did when a centre-half (Micky van de Ven) is crossing the whole pitch, then we were very stressful in the game, we didn’t find spare man in the switch, couldn’t keep the ball, not aggressive enough in third-man actions, we didn’t get the press right,” Ten Hag accepted.

Such mental fragility is alarming, raising the question of whether it is an individual thing or a lack of confidence in the team strategy.

The red card for Bruno Fernandes had a bearing on the contest, but Tottenham were already slicing through United at will when it was 11 versus 11. Spurs were good, but United were very bad. Their press was disjointed, attempts to pass out from the back were fraught as gaps opened in midfield again, and simply finding a team-mate with the ball seemed an alien concept for several players.

More than once, the ball dribbled out into touch from the boot of a United player trying to get a move going. Those that did find a red shirt were often off target. In one counter-attack before the interval, Joshua Zirkzee laid off to Marcus Rashford but put the ball behind his run. All Rashford could do was pivot and slam a return pass into a Spurs defender. He showed his frustration by flapping his arms.

United’s first-half passing accuracy was 77.3 per cent, the lowest in a first half in the Premier League this season.

United also dawdled in defence, at one point Matthijs de Ligt turning on the ball only to find Dominic Solanke. On another occasion, Diogo Dalot tried to take an extra touch but found Brennan Johnson on him to start an attack that led to a James Maddison shot.

Then there was the Spurs goal, coming in the third minute. Van de Ven took up the FC Twente blueprint by seizing the ball and running straight at United. To have conceded such a goal once is embarrassing; to do so twice in two games is a dereliction.

It is in that context that Fernandes made his foul. He slipped but still flicked his studs out at Maddison’s shin before drawing them away. It was a harsh red card, but there looked to be an element of irritation involved at Maddison dictating the midfield action. (Fernandes later asked to do post-match media instead of Onana to put his side across and accept responsibility.)

Fernandes brings down Maddison to earn a red card (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

United were imploding at that stage, with Kobbie Mainoo also going off at the same moment, appearing to suggest to Casemiro and Antony on the sidelines that he had hurt his hamstring. United’s discipline eroded, with yellow cards for Mason Mount clattering Rodrigo Bentancur, Martinez scything Maddison, and Manuel Ugarte barging over Dejan Kulusevski.

Ten Hag has overseen just six wins in 19 Premier League games dating back to last season, while United’s tally of seven points is their joint-fewest after six games of a campaign (the same record in both 2013-14 and 2020-21).

Only in 2007-08 (four) have United scored fewer goals through their first six Premier League games than the five they have this term, although they did finish that season with a double of Premier League and Champions League titles.

A more concerning omen comes from United losing consecutive Premier League matches without scoring at Old Trafford for the first time since November 2021 (0-5 v Liverpool and 0-2 v Manchester City). Those were the last two home games for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge of the club.

Ten Hag will hope that is not an ill omen for his own tenure.

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)