If Manchester United can play with the same confidence as Erik ten Hag says they do, there won't be another bad week at Old Trafford.
Three games into the new season and it looks like the only hope for Man United fans is that one of the 115 Premier League charges against Manchester City actually comes to fruition.
Back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Liverpool after an opening-day win over Fulham were bad enough, but the quality of United’s performances has not suggested that Ten Hag will improve on last season’s eighth-place finish in the Premier League that nearly saw him sacked.
The Dutchman insists it is not his fault. Over the past two seasons, Ten Hag has had to deal with problems that have plagued Old Trafford for a decade. Ten Hag's argument is not entirely wrong.
The Red Devils are in such disarray that their fans are getting wet watching their team play. But at some point, there has to be more progress than winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.
After all the illustrious achievements of his career at the Bernabeu, Casemiro's legs are clearly not up to the task in England. Sir Jim Ratcliffe would not regret finding a Saudi Arabian club willing to pay Casemiro's £300,000-a-week wages.
The MU board is proud that they only had to pay an initial £42.2 million for new player Manuel Ugarte from PSG. However, Ten Hag asserts that only Harry Potter can ensure that Ugarte will play his best. But even if Ten Hag is Harry Potter and Ugarte will shine, that is just one of many problems for Man United .
Ten Hag also has to deal with Bruno Fernandes, the Red Devils' most creative player at the moment. In defence, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw will provide Ten Hag with quality options, but both are unlikely to return after September's FIFA Days.
Up front, how can Ten Hag combine Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo? Rashford's poor form is something that needs to be addressed. It's clear that the 26-year-old's confidence is at rock bottom.
The return of Ruud van Nistelrooy to the coaching staff has brought some optimism. But in reality, there is little evidence on the pitch to show the improvement of Man United's attack.
Man United should be much better than they are now. This is Ten Hag's third season at Old Trafford, a long enough time for a lot to change. If things don't improve quickly, Ten Hag could well be spending Christmas back home in the Netherlands...
