FILE PHOTO: Erik ten Hag has himself to blame for injury pronged and series of unnecessary suspension at Manchester United. PICTURE: Getty Images
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0 MANCHESTER: United were clinically picked apart by brilliant Brighton Hove Albion 3-1 at Old Trafford.
Manchester United are languishing in the 13th position in the English Premier League (EPL) table after yet another disappointing weekend for Erik Ten Hag’s charges. United were clinically picked apart by brilliant Brighton Hove Albion 3-1 at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have now lost three and won two out of five league matches this season. Ten Hag’s side is struggling to sustain a winning momentum, as they are yet to win two matches back-to-back.
As a result, they are yet to assert themselves. Under the Dutch’s tutelage, the Manchester club has adopted a hardline approach towards player discipline. Despite this approach, wins are hard to come by; the coach’s no-nonsense style and management approach is yet to bear the desired fruit Instead, the approach has exposed him and the club to public spats with players.
Most recently, Ten Hag was involved in a public spat with forward Jadon Sancho, who is not training with the first team as part of disciplinary measures meted out against him. After the player had not made the squad that lost to Arsenal at the Emirates last week, he claimed that the Dutchman was using him as a scapegoat. Sancho is not the first player to have a communication breakdown with the coach.
Cristiano Ronaldo did in 2022. He felt frustrated with the club and coach, who failed to diffuse the situation. As a result, Ronaldo departed. Before his departure, however, he dropped a bombshell with broadcaster Pierce Morgan, saying that the club lacked ambition.
With five rounds of the EPL played and results not coming and with more off-the-field incidents making headlines rather than good performances, the possible reasons for this dip in form could be ascribed to players struggling to respond to Ten Hag’s disciplinarian stance.
The coach needs to find solutions quickly as the club is leaking goals and yet to display inspiring performances. On average, having conceded 10 goals thus far, United have conceded two goals per match.
With their next fixture being an away UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich, the Manchester club would have to work on their defence as the Bundesliga champions, who boast deadly finishers, such as Leroy Sane, Thomas Muller and Harry Kane, are ruthless in the final third. In 2014, Bayern beat United 3-1 in their last trip to Germany in the quarterfinals.
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