Erik ten Hag expressed his shock at seeing Manchester United capitulate to a 4-0 defeat at Brentford that leaves the Red Devils on the backside of the Premier League for the primary time in 30 years.
But after simply two video games in cost, the Dutchman is getting a crash course in United’s new actuality.
The 20-time English champion has now misplaced seven consecutive away league video games for the primary time since 1936.
That run included related thrashings at Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton. Indeed United has conceded 4 or extra objectives seven occasions within the Premier League for the reason that begin of final season.
Any hope of a brand new daybreak beneath the previous Ajax boss has been blown aside by the identical failings on and off the pitch which have persevered throughout a decade of decline at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag’s predecessor Ralf Rangnick signed off from his depressing caretaker spell final season by stating the United squad wanted “open heart surgery” and as much as 10 new gamers after labouring to a sixth-placed end within the Premier League.
Two video games into the brand new season, solely three new faces have arrived within the type of Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen.
The United squad is arguably even weaker than final season with Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata having left totally free, whereas goalkeeper Dean Henderson has joined Nottingham Forest on mortgage.
United’s switch window has as an alternative been dominated by two strikes that haven’t occurred.
Despite Barcelona’s desperation to promote, Frenkie de Jong has resisted the possibility to reunite along with his former Ajax boss. Cristiano Ronaldo, in the meantime, is eager to chop brief his second spell at Old Trafford however can’t discover a Champions League contender prepared to pay up for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The membership’s homeowners, the American Glazer household, are once more on the forefront of the followers’ fury.
Protests forward of the 2-1 residence defeat to Brighton final weekend pressured the membership store to be closed earlier than kick-off.
More demonstrations are deliberate for United’s subsequent match at residence to Liverpool, a fixture that was postponed in May 2021 when supporters stormed the Old Trafford pitch in protest at plans for a European Super League. “The time has come for the Glazer family to sell the football club,” mentioned former United captain Gary Neville. “The people above him should have known that was an unacceptable situation to hand Erik ten Hag that squad.”
Source: www.thehindu.com