Manchester United were thrashed at home by Tottenham Hotspur and once again Erik ten Hag was under pressure. It looked like the Dutchman's final spell at Old Trafford as his side were completely beaten tactically, physically and mentally.
Ten Hag could argue that United were forced to play most of the game with 10 men after Bruno Fernandes was sent off, and that the Red Devils were also without Kobbie Mainoo and Mason Mount through injury, but that is hardly a convincing excuse for such a disastrous defeat.
Before Bruno was sent off, Man United were completely overwhelmed by Tottenham. After losing a man, the situation got worse. Spurs controlled the game tightly, leaving the Old Trafford team with no chance to fight back.
The Red Devils face FC Porto away in the Europa League in midweek, before facing Aston Villa on Sunday – a game Bruno will miss through suspension – and given their current form, picking up points against these opponents seems an impossible task.
This will test the patience of the United board in deciding whether to continue to put their faith in Ten Hag. They considered sacking the 54-year-old last summer before deciding to extend his contract. Sadly, there has been no sign of improvement under Ten Hag and that is hard to accept.
Erik ten Hag has talked a lot about needing more time, this is a young team with the ability to win titles. However, this is his third season and it is clear that Man United are going backwards. After the defeat to Tottenham, the questions will continue to be asked about what kind of team the Dutchman is trying to build and what style of football he demands.
After the draw with Twente, Christian Eriksen admitted that their opponents had a greater desire to win. The same happened with Tottenham. The "Roosters" played with more determination and pressed their opponents back into their own half right from the start.
The Man United board also need to look at themselves. Their big summer signings Joshua Zirkzee, Noussair Mazraoui and especially Manuel Ugarte have all underperformed.
During the 90 minutes at Old Trafford, Man United showed no intensity, no pressing, no precise passes, no fighting spirit and no specific style of play. Ten Hag talked about the possibility of a comeback with missed opportunities by Garnacho or Zirkzee. However, the M.U captain forgot that Tottenham had an xG of 4.67 and created 9 clear scoring opportunities.
In addition, the goals that Man United conceded all showed the flaws in the defense system. In particular, Tottenham's opening goal most clearly demonstrated the style of play and spirit of the Old Trafford team. They let a central defender dribble from their own half and pass at least 4 players. It is undeniable that Micky van de Ven had a spectacular acceleration, but it is clear that Man United's defense lost focus and lacked determination.
This was Man United's third defeat in their first six Premier League games, and they are now 12th in the table. It's worth noting that Tottenham also had to play in the Europa League last week, visiting Old Trafford and missing captain Son Heung-min. Ten Hag can't continue to justify disappointing results like this forever.
