Manchester United's Lackluster Display: Paul Merson Slams, Mason Mount's Struggle Revealed

Manchester United's static attacking display in their 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace drew a comparison from Paul Merson to watching Subbuteo. Despite recent victories against Burnley and Palace in the Carabao Cup, Erik ten Hag's team seemed to have regressed with Joachim Andersen's early goal casting a gloomy shadow over their performance. With a disappointing nine-point total and a goal difference of -4, this marks Manchester United's worst start to a Premier League season after seven matches.

Merson, who watched the game on Soccer Saturday, criticized United's lack of dynamism in the final third.

He commented, "Watching Man Utd is akin to playing Subbuteo. From kick-off to half-time, everyone remains in their initial positions, with no signs of movement."

"When you are in charge of managing large football clubs, there is always a significant amount of pressure on your shoulders. However, this pressure intensifies even more when your neighboring club emerges victorious. If our rivals, Man City, had won today, the pressure would have increased exponentially for us. It is absolutely imperative for them to secure a position in the top four this season."

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Mason Mount shows his frustration following a missed Manchester United chance

Merson remarked that when watching Manchester United play, there seems to be a lack of a structured game plan. In contrast, teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester City demonstrate clear patterns of play. These teams have players who move in and out, while at Manchester United, the strategy seems to rely heavily on getting the ball out wide and hoping Rashford can create something. Furthermore, Amrabat was not utilized effectively on the left side and should have started there instead. Manchester United needs to assert their dominance and increase the pace of their gameplay. Currently, they allow opposing teams to settle into the game, but they should aim to aggressively attack during the first 20 minutes of play. This sense of urgency is lacking at the moment.

The team was disappointing as they didn't create many opportunities. They seemed to lack ideas throughout the game.

Hojlund is left isolated as the lone forward, unsure if the wingers will provide crosses or not. It's a challenging situation for him, as he doesn't receive much support. Mount, Casemiro, and Fernandes appear confused about their positions and role in the game.

Man Utd is currently experiencing a major concern with yet another loss. They are far from performing at their best.

Currently, I do not anticipate them being able to reverse the situation. It may reach a point where the manager will have to consider altering the team's formation. Instead of employing a four-man defense, he might need to experiment with a three-man defense to introduce some variety and unpredictability.

Ten Hag: It's frustrating

Erik ten Hag addressing We: "It was too easy for us to concede three goals from set plays. Our confidence in defending those situations is lacking. Additionally, in the latter stages of the game, our decision-making was poor and the quality of our performance was not up to par.

"We didn't perform at our best in the final segment of the game."

"Undoubtedly, it can be infuriating. We had numerous opportunities, yet we lacked the precision and determination necessary to score.

"Each situation calls for a unique approach; at times, it demands calmness and composure, while other times it requires ruthlessness. In certain instances, a more direct approach is necessary, while in others, an additional pass is needed."

"We have to learn to do better in the final part of the game."

On the goal: "It wasn't necessary to make a foul there. Then the ball comes through the box, it's not good defending."

Analysis: Amrabat experiment malfunctions Man Utd

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Sofyan Amrabat made five fouls and was booked up against Jordan Ayew

Lewis Jones:

"Being able to solve problems is essential for a football manager in the Premier League. Erik ten Hag faced a challenge when Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Sergio Reguilon suffered injuries. To address this issue, he chose to utilize new signing Sofyan Amrabat in a multifaceted role, similar to how he successfully deployed him during United's dominant first-half performance in the 3-0 victory against Crystal Palace earlier this week."

The contrast was stark as the Crystal Palace team that showed up on Tuesday was completely different from the one we saw before. They displayed bravery, physicality, and a remarkable amount of energy in their return to Premier League action. As a result, Amrabat had to shoulder more defensive responsibilities and unfortunately, he was thoroughly outplayed by the cunning Jordan Ayew - a true expert in drawing fouls and alleviating pressure from his defenders. Ayew managed to force Amrabat into committing five fouls, bringing his total to 25 fouls won this season - a significant seven more than any other player.

Time and again, Amrabat fell into Ayew's traps and he even received a yellow card for a calculated handball after Ayew expertly evaded him. It was a performance that both Amrabat and Manchester United would rather forget in what has been a forgettable season so far.

What's next?

Their following Premier League fixture will be against Brentford on Saturday October 7, with kick-off set for 3pm.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace face Nottingham Forest on Saturday October 7, live on We; kick-off 5.30pm.