There was a bleak really feel to the spectacle at Outdated Trafford as Erik ten Hag and his gamers walked across the pitch amid pouring rain to applaud followers who had remained within the stands to the ultimate whistle. These few hundred within the Stretford Finish stored singing, regardless that there was not a lot to sing about; the tone not a lot defiance as obligation.
Alejandro Garnacho, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana have been among the many final to go down the tunnel. Ideas should have been whirring of their minds about how shortly Manchester United have plunged into turmoil already this season and what wants to alter to engineer a turnaround.
There was nothing significantly uncommon within the dressing room afterwards. Only a willpower to “reset”, beginning within the Europa League sport at Porto on Thursday, with Ten Hag telling his gamers there’s “all the time a brand new day”.
However, inevitably, focus will fall on whether or not Ten Hag has the flexibility to convey daylight to that new day as a result of this was a darkish event, a second 3-0 defeat in as many Premier League dwelling matches, having performed one of many worst halves of soccer in latest reminiscence within the opening interval.
Afterwards, Ten Hag mentioned he was not eager about being scrutinized for his job. “All of us made in togetherness this determination in the summertime to remain collectively,” he mentioned, in reference to the assessment which noticed United interview different candidates for his place, akin to Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi, solely to resolve to stay with him.
“We made the choice, after a transparent assessment, what we’ve got to enhance as an organisation and the right way to assemble a squad. All selections made in togetherness, additionally understanding it might take a while given how the window went. We’re all there on one web page, one boat, the possession, the management group, the workers, the gamers, too.”
United’s shambolic first half was greeted by stony faces in a administrators’ field that included INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford and United’s CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.
United’s hierarchy together with (from left, second row up) Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox (Michael Regan/Getty Photos)
Privately, these in cost are echoing Ten Hag’s sentiments — that altering the infrastructure and dealing practices on the membership was the primary precedence when INEOS arrived and persistence is required to permit that to mattress in and see outcomes. Berrada and Ashworth solely went public unequivocally backing Ten Hag firstly of this month, so altering course now could be a volte-face and out of holding for executives who prefer to be pushed by a methodical course of.
One other consideration is that Ten Hag was allowed to select his personal coaches, together with Ruud van Nistelrooy, and have an affect on signings.
Likewise, the managerial panorama has not modified a lot from that interval in Could and June when these in cost at United scoured the marketplace for doable replacements, in the end deciding on Ten Hag. Gareth Southgate is now out there having left his position with England and has hyperlinks to Ashworth and Brailsford, however that’s so far as it goes on him.
The stress is bound to construct on the decision-makers, nevertheless, ought to Porto and Sunday’s journey to Aston Villa present extra of the identical, particularly as one other worldwide break is looming. Gary Neville and Ashley Younger, two former United captains, steered on Sky Sports activities that the gamers ought to have a gathering with out Ten Hag to resolve the right way to proceed. That’s the form of media conjecture that can fill the narrative until outcomes enhance dramatically.
“We began the sport very poor after we conceded a aim like we did when a centre-half (Micky van de Ven) is crossing the entire pitch, then we have been very tense within the sport, we didn’t discover spare man within the swap, couldn’t preserve the ball, not aggressive sufficient in third-man actions, we didn’t get the press proper,” Ten Hag accepted.
Such psychological fragility is alarming, elevating the query of whether or not it’s a person factor or a insecurity within the group technique.
The purple card for Bruno Fernandes had a bearing on the competition, however Tottenham have been already slicing by means of United at will when it was 11 versus 11. Spurs have been good, however United have been very dangerous. Their press was disjointed, makes an attempt to go out from the again have been fraught as gaps opened in midfield once more, and easily discovering a team-mate with the ball appeared an alien idea for a number of gamers.
Greater than as soon as, the ball dribbled out into contact from the boot of a United participant attempting to get a transfer going. People who did discover a purple shirt have been usually astray. In a single counter-attack earlier than the interval, Joshua Zirkzee laid off to Marcus Rashford however put the ball behind his run. All Rashford may do was pivot and slam a return go right into a Spurs defender. He confirmed his frustration by flapping his arms.
United’s first-half passing accuracy was 76 per cent, the bottom in a primary half within the Premier League this season.
United additionally dawdled in defence, at one level Matthijs de Ligt turning on the ball solely to search out Dominic Solanke. On one other event, Diogo Dalot tried to take an additional contact however discovered Brennan Johnson on him to start out an assault that led to a James Maddison shot.
Then there was the Spurs aim, coming within the third minute. Van de Ven took up the FC Twente blueprint by seizing the ball and working straight at United. To have conceded such a aim as soon as is embarrassing; to take action twice in two video games is a dereliction.
It’s in that context that Fernandes made his foul. He slipped however nonetheless flicked his studs out at Maddison’s shin earlier than drawing them away. It was a harsh purple card, however there appeared to be a component of irritation concerned at Maddison dictating the midfield motion. (Fernandes later requested to do post-match media as a substitute of Onana to place his facet throughout and settle for accountability.)
Fernandes brings down Maddison to earn a purple card (Michael Regan/Getty Photos)
United have been imploding at that stage, with Kobbie Mainoo additionally going off on the similar second, showing to recommend to Casemiro and Antony on the sidelines that he had damage his hamstring. United’s self-discipline eroded, with yellow playing cards for Mason Mount clattering Rodrigo Bentancur, Martinez scything Maddison, and Manuel Ugarte barging over Dejan Kulusevski.
Ten Hag has overseen simply six wins in 19 Premier League video games courting again to final season, whereas United’s tally of seven factors is their joint-fewest after six video games of a marketing campaign (the identical document in each 2013-14 and 2020-21).
Solely in 2007-08 (4) have United scored fewer objectives by means of their first six Premier League video games than the 5 they’ve this time period, though they did end that season with a double of Premier League and Champions League titles.
A extra regarding omen comes from United shedding consecutive Premier League matches with out scoring at Outdated Trafford for the primary time since November 2021 (0-5 v Liverpool and 0-2 v Manchester Metropolis). These have been the final two dwelling video games for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in command of the membership.
Ten Hag will hope that isn’t an sick omen for his personal tenure.
(High picture: Carl Recine/Getty Photos)
