Manchester United: Shattering Barriers and Building a Path to Success

Saturday's 3-1 defeat against Brighton at Old Trafford is undoubtedly the lowest moment of Erik ten Hag's tenure as manager of Manchester United - and there have been several of them.

The team led by Roberto De Zerbi is everything that this current United squad is not: thrilling, smooth, united, quick, and creative. Brightons' victory was well deserved, as they were undoubtedly superior throughout the majority of the match. If anything, the final scoreline actually made Ten Hag and his players look better than they were.

However, what truly disappointed United fans was that the defeat didn't come as much of a shock. The crowd at Old Trafford expressed their dissatisfaction by booing at the end of the match, including when Rasmus Højlund, the newly acquired player, was replaced by Anthony Martial after 64 minutes.

With three losses in just five Premier League games, United is experiencing its worst start to a campaign in almost ten years. Both as a team and individually, they appear to be more dysfunctional than ever before since Ten Hag took over in April 2022. The attack lacks fluidity and cohesion, and the defense is porous and occasionally even comical. United fans are genuinely worried about the team's regression under the Dutchman, as many players seem to be struggling to find their rhythm at the beginning of the season.

Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton at Old Trafford in his debut match as the team's manager, the former Ajax boss is likely feeling a painful sense of déjà vu. However, despite Saturday's loss, he maintained that the club is not in a state of crisis.

Speaking to reporters, ten Hag expressed disappointment and frustration in his team's performance. He acknowledged the pressure to secure victories and acknowledged concerns about their form. However, he also emphasized the importance of considering the style of play.

"It's all about character. We need to assess our strength and assess how united the team remains. Players need to step up and demonstrate their character, as we have witnessed in all the previous matches – particularly in today's game and against Arsenal and Forest. We have proven that we are capable of playing well and generating scoring opportunities."

This is United's worst start to a season in nearly a decade.

Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Not an easy job

Despite the teams poor start to the season, United fan and The Athletic journalist Andy Mitten doesnt believe "theres any prospect of Erik ten Hag losing his job at the moment."

United fans have shown significant support for Erik ten Hag, according to Mitten. He successfully led the team from a lower position to a commendable third place finish, while also securing victories in the League Cup and reaching the FA Cup final. Despite a few setbacks, Old Trafford regained its strength as a stronghold. Mitten believes that fans are entitled to question some of ten Hag's decisions, yet their overall support for him remains unwavering as they acknowledge the challenges he faces.

Saturday's loss marked United's first defeat at home in the Premier League since their previous loss to Brighton in 2022. Despite finishing third last season and securing victory in the League Cup, there was a growing sense of optimism surrounding this United team, with hopes of further progress, even though their aspirations of challenging for the Premier League and Champions League remained somewhat out of reach.

Reflecting on United's performance on Saturday, Ten Hag attributed the result, in part, to his opponents' financial investments.

"I believe that all the teams are investing significant amounts of money," he informed the journalists. "Brighton, like everyone else, is also spending money, and when a club like Manchester United gets involved, it further drives up the prices, which is also a fact."

Ten Hag is accurate in stating that Brighton does allocate funds for transfer fees for certain players. However, the total cost of Brighton's entire starting XI at Old Trafford was approximately a modest £17 million ($21 million)."

To provide perspective, it is worth mentioning that Antony, a player who has only scored four goals in 29 Premier League games, was acquired by Manchester United for almost five times the amount paid for Ten Hag. In addition, Jadon Sancho, who arrived in 2021 and has not lived up to expectations, now finds himself embroiled in a highly publicized conflict with his manager.

Former United striker Danny Welbeck came back to haunt his old club on Saturday.

Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Tactical headache

United's expenditure on player transfers has reached approximately $500 million under Ten Hag's leadership, yet the current state of the club's player recruitment process still appears rather disorganized.

Ten Hag's saving grace this season could arguably be Chelsea's chaotic recruitment policy under Todd Boehly. The current standoff between ten Hag and Sancho is indicative of the chaos that the club is currently facing.

Ten Hag stated before the 3-1 loss to Arsenal this month that the absence of the English player from the squad was due to inadequate performances during training. In response, Sancho released a statement on social media, which has been deleted, denying the truthfulness of Ten Hag's remarks. Consequently, he has been instructed to train separately from the main team.

Ten Hag was uncertain about Sancho's future in United as he addressed the media on Friday. Publicly criticizing players for their performance is an uncommon practice among managers, with individual critiques typically occurring privately. Nevertheless, Sanchos absence, forced upon him, has posed a tactical challenge for Ten Hag.

Following Mason Greenwood's departure to Getafe amidst allegations of attempted rape and assault, charges he denied and were later dismissed, and Antony's absence from the squad due to allegations of domestic assault, which he also denies, Manchester United now finds itself without a right winger. The club issued a statement on September 10 stating that players who did not take part in international matches are expected to resume training on Monday. However, it has been mutually agreed with Antony that he will delay his return until further notice to address the allegations.

"As a club, we strongly denounce violence and abuse, understanding the significance of ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone connected to this situation. We also acknowledge the profound impact these allegations have on abuse survivors. Despite Ten Hag's efforts to implement new tactics on Saturday, they unfortunately proved to be greatly misguided."

The Glazer family's ownership of the club has left fans uncertain, with the process of a potential sale to either British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe or Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani happening behind closed doors.

Brighton was the better side and a deserving winner at Old Trafford.

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Manchester United's former player Gary Neville holds the belief that "the Glazers bear the responsibility" for the current situation of the club.

"That's just how it is," Neville expressed on X, once known as Twitter. "When you own a business, both the successes and failures ultimately fall on your shoulders! They were fortunate enough to inherit excellence in every aspect. However, they have presided over a decade of average performance, both on and off the field.

"It would be ideal for them to promptly and efficiently sell the club and properly address the off-field matters to successfully restore the tone and culture." Nevertheless, Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, opposed Neville's viewpoint and jokingly commented, "I always believed that Alex Ferguson prevented us from winning the PL, but apparently it was [former chairman] Martin Edwards."

The Premier League's leading goal scorer of all time, Alan Shearer, who once managed Newcastle United under the turbulent reign of Mike Ashley, expressed his belief that instability at the leadership level ultimately impacts the team's on-field performance.

"Inevitably, whatever happens at the top eventually trickles down to the pitch," Shearer shared during an interview on BBC's Match of the Day. "Is the club up for sale? Is it not? What about the direction and influence of its leadership? These factors all play a crucial role."

Ten Hag and his team find themselves in a relentless situation, with no relief in sight. They now face a challenging match against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, marking their return to European football's premier tournament after a year-long absence.

Harry Kane, who has been performing brilliantly ever since he joined Bayern from Tottenham Hotspur during the summer, will undoubtedly be eagerly anticipating the opportunity to take on a struggling United team, both on and off the field.