‘Serious concerns’ among Manchester United directors over Erik ten Hag’s system

There are “serious concerns” among Manchester United’s management about the way Erik ten Hag is “setting up (his) team” following last week’s disastrous performance against Liverpool, according to a report from The Guardian.

The Dutch manager saw his team limping along, losing 3-0 to the club’s bitter rivals, and there was a sense that if Liverpool wanted to hit the nail on the head, it might be closer to the infamous 7-0 defeat at Anfield in Ten Hag’s first season than any attempted United comeback.

Ten Hag will point to the improvement in the second half after Casemiro was withdrawn at half-time; the Brazilian midfielder almost single-handedly gave Liverpool a two-goal lead, but United still ‘lost’ the next forty-five minutes 1-0.

The performance was characterised by many of the issues that plagued the team last season, and it is these persistent issues that are likely to be causing ‘concern’ among Old Trafford officials.

A broken attack; a defensive line that dropped too deep; and a midfield unit that was overworked and stretched by gaps that were too big for players like Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo to cover effectively. Without possession, United started the match brightly, but the mistakes IN possession effectively ended the match in the 42nd minute.

The manner in which the Red Devils lost last weekend’s match is indicative of both structural and personnel issues within the team.

However, there is an “awareness” within the club that Ten Has has been “weakened” by injuries and needs time for the five new players to fully integrate.

Leny Yoro has been ruled out for three months with a foot injury in just his second appearance for United following his blockbuster move from LOSC Lille in pre-season, while Joshua Zirkzee has been thrust into the starting XI sooner than expected after Rasmus Hojlund injured his hamstring in the same match in which Yoro fractured his metatarsal.

Manuel Ugarte, signed after a long struggle to establish himself as PSG’s midfielder all summer, was unable to feature against Liverpool but has been an immediate addition to Casemiro in midfield now that he has settled in at his new club.

The latter two recruits – Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt – have impressed in their first appearances for United but are likely to feature sooner than Ten Hag would have liked or planned. Mazraoui plays at right-back as ongoing injury problems for both senior left-backs – Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia – have forced the Dutch manager to move first-choice Diogo Dalot to the opposite wing.

There is a reason why United have not started the season in the ideal way. However, the style of play the team has shown on the pitch is “considered disappointing” by the club’s management, claims the Guardian. And Ten Haga’s “playing model” will have to “start impressing” those directors or “he is in danger of being sacked”.

The 54-year-old has sought to introduce a pressing system at Old Trafford that aims to dominate games through dominant transitions, and has previously spoken of his desire to make United the “best transition team” in the world.

Ten Hag will need his players to start articulating that vision A lot more effective on the pitch, otherwise the club will “move away” from the Dutchman as manager.

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