Cracking the Away Code: Erik ten Hag's Man Utd Set to Conquer Bayern Munich and Burnley on the Road

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag denies that the club is facing a crisis, although there are numerous dissenting opinions. The team has been grappling with problems both on and off the field, and recent statistics reveal a string of three losses in their previous four matches. Furthermore, the club continues to grapple with ongoing challenges away from home.

In his tenure of one complete season, Ten Hag effectively put an end to Manchester United's six-year trophy drought by clinching the Carabao Cup. He also guided the team to the finals of the FA Cup and achieved a commendable third-place finish in the Premier League during the previous campaign.

However, United's turbulent past has left them vulnerable to reliving the nightmare of their disastrous campaign two seasons ago. Despite their current position, sitting 13th in the league table, the club has collected a meager six points from their first five games. Their latest setback came in the form of a shattering 3-1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United's deficiency is particularly evident in their performance away from home. Ten Hag is currently molding his team for upcoming matches against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday and Burnley on Saturday.

Over the course of the previous season, United managed to secure just one point when playing as visitors against teams that placed in the top nine.

Ten Hag's side is facing mounting pressure from all sides due to their fragility on away games since he assumed control last summer. Their recent 3-1 loss against Arsenal, followed by a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham two weeks prior, further highlights their struggles. However, it is not merely their results that should worry Ten Hag, as a range of issues has also come to light.

Last season, United suffered a humiliating defeat against Liverpool, conceding a staggering seven goals. A similar defensive lapse occurred against Manchester City, where they let in six goals. Additionally, the team struggled in the first half of their match against Brentford, conceding four goals. In a disappointing start at Aston Villa, United conceded two goals within the first 11 minutes. Leads were also relinquished in matches against Arsenal, Tottenham, and Crystal Palace. Furthermore, their defeat at Newcastle in April was particularly dismal, with only one shot on target registered.

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Man Utd's away form before suffering a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal before the international break

United have consistently performed below par when playing away against top teams in the Premier League, regardless of the circumstances or environment. However, the collapse against Sevilla in the Europa League last season clearly showed that United can also crumble under pressure when facing weaker teams on the road.

Last season, when Liverpool narrowed the gap to just one point on United, even though they had played two more games, it increased the pressure on Ten Hag's team as the season entered its most crucial and nerve-wracking phase.

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"When you look at these away stats, it's a real concern and a bad reflection on the group of players you have," said We pundit Roy Keane after the Arsenal defeat.

United clearly has a wealth of talented players. However, this implies that they are overly reliant on their talent and are lacking in strong personalities and characters.

The away record of United needs to significantly improve, especially considering the high caliber of teams in their vicinity.

"I don't like looking at this. It's a huge concern. If you want to be a top team and compete, they've got to improve that drastically."

So where are United going wrong?

United's away performance and setup are not particularly problematic. In fact, they even have higher possession rates on the road compared to matches at Old Trafford and also make more tackles.

However, since Ten Hag became the manager, United has conceded a total of 38 goals in Premier League away games, while only allowing 15 goals at home in Old Trafford. Furthermore, they have not lost any points from winning positions at home, but have unfortunately let go of 10 points when facing a comeback on their away matches.

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These statistics indicate that the United players continue to struggle under the pressure of important matches. Ten Hag, who took charge of a team that had suffered six consecutive defeats in away league games prior to his arrival, suggests that there may be a more profound psychological issue within the club.

The United manager expressed the need to improve performance in away games to earn more points and raise the team's standards. He emphasized the importance of players' personalities and demanded that they demonstrate more assertiveness on the field to secure victories and accumulate more points in away matches.

United's players seem to become more cautious when they have possession, according to the statistics. Unlike Ten Hag's team, they make fewer attempts at through balls and crosses and have a lower expected-goals rate.

To improve, United should adopt a more daring approach and play with the same freedom and confidence they exhibit at Old Trafford. Their home record has been one of the strongest in the league since last season, and they should embrace that style of play.

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Ten Hag's frustration at his side's inability to claim a statement away win is clear to see. This is a manager who does not believe in 'home and away' games.

"For me, it's all the same – the size of the pitch remains constant regardless of the location, there are three referees in addition to a fourth official, the ball is spherical, and there is air inside it," he stated in March.

"Therefore, we must engage in the game and establish our own style, with winning against a top-four competitor becoming the subsequent milestone that we must achieve."

That step remains elusive for now.