After the final whistle blew, Alejandro Garnacho, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana were the last to head down the tunnel. They were the ones who had put in the most effort on a day when United lost to Tottenham in every way. What were the remaining warriors at Old Trafford thinking about how the team had changed so quickly for the worse?
After another defeat by at least 3 goals at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag still said there was still a chance because "a brighter tomorrow" would come. However, each time like that, the frustration increased. Man United continued to have a bad start and kicked themselves out of every race when it had just begun.
The Dutchman said everyone was in the same boat, from the club’s management to the players. Everyone was still looking in the same direction, but it was only that it was heading into the dark clouds instead of finding a way back to shore.
United leaders like Dave Brailsford and Omar Berrada witnessed the defeat to Tottenham firsthand and are unwilling to sit back and watch more defeats like this. However, changing the manager now is not appropriate, as Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth were openly backing Erik ten Hag in early September. There must be a change, but it is not here yet.
This week's games against FC Porto and Aston Villa could be decisive for Ten Hag's reign. Next week, the clubs will take a break for FIFA Days, and if things continue to deteriorate, Ten Hag will step down to give the new manager time to prepare. This is a wake-up call for the Dutchman.
Bruno Fernandes' red card may have ruined the game, but before the Red Devils captain left the pitch, they were playing extremely poorly and were completely overwhelmed by their opponents. The Premier League has only seen a team with a 76% pass accuracy in the first half since the start of the season, and that was Man United's performance at Old Trafford on Super Sunday last weekend.
Man United have had a lot of bad records last season, typically the 8th place in the Premier League. The loss to Spurs was not the worst but it was like another painful blow to Erik ten Hag's team.
7 points after 6 matches at the beginning of the season is not the worst because M.U fell into this situation in the 2013-14 and 2020-21 seasons. It is worth mentioning that in the last 19 Premier League matches, from last season until now, Ten Hag and his students have only won 6. The concept of victory is becoming more and more of a luxury for The Red Devils. They lose continuously at home, so what is the basis for ensuring good results away from home?
Few goals, no improvement in playing style and the players' morale has hit rock bottom. Erik ten Hag probably doesn't understand why the team that had such a good summer preparation has ended up in this situation? The answer after more than 2 years may be found this week. If things continue to go badly and Ten Hag leaves, it will be because the 54-year-old strategist's ability is not enough.
Old Trafford is about to change as a new look is being put on with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's billion-dollar project. A magnificent stadium will take shape but it also needs a strong team to be worthy, not the weak and feeble collective as it is now.
