Erik ten Hag and Man Utd floundering once more after Tottenham loss however ought to INEOS have seen it coming?

A shambolic defensive show culminating in a heavy defeat. A dejected group of gamers and a supervisor insisting he wants extra time. Probably the most damning factor about Manchester United’s capitulation towards Tottenham is that all of it felt so acquainted.

Erik ten Hag might level to Bruno Fernandes’s Forty second-minute crimson card as a mitigating issue. However his declare that it “changed the game” didn’t stack up. United have been terrible even with 11 males. In truth, that they had much less possession and fewer photographs within the first half than within the second.

“It’s one of the worst performances I’ve seen under Ten Hag,” stated Sky Sports activities’ Gary Neville afterwards. “And that’s saying something.” Astonishingly, this was the twenty third fixture during which they’ve conceded three or extra targets below Ten Hag, making up practically 20 per cent of his 123 video games in cost.

It’s a greater proportion than any of United’s earlier 5 managers, relationship again to David Moyes and together with Ralf Rangnick, below whom they completed with a record-low factors complete.

The numbers look even worse as compared with these of different Premier League sides.

For the reason that begin of final season, solely relegated Sheffield United have conceded three or extra targets on extra events. Manchester United’s complete of 16 in 44 video games in that timeframe is eight instances as excessive as Arsenal’s and practically 5 as excessive as Manchester Metropolis’s.

Their newest defeat might simply have been by a fair larger margin. Over the course of the 90 minutes at Outdated Trafford, Tottenham peppered their purpose with 24 photographs, gleefully exploiting the area Ten Hag’s facet depart obtainable to their opponents on a routine foundation.

It’s no exaggeration to say they’re essentially the most defensively open facet within the Premier League below Ten Hag. Take into account the truth that, because the begin of final time period, they’ve confronted 20 or extra photographs 16 instances. It’s the most by any facet, together with even final yr’s relegated groups.

Exclude Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton, and West Ham are the one facet out of the opposite 16 to have even reached to double figures.

Not fairly in a league of their very own, then, however Manchester United aren’t far off. The numbers are bewilderingly dangerous for a membership of their standing with aspirations of difficult the elite once more.

All of which raises critical questions on how they received right here.

Ten Hag can after all level to the 2 trophies he has received throughout his tenure. Their FA Cup remaining win over Manchester Metropolis in Could, following Carabao Cup success within the earlier yr, undoubtedly strengthened his place when it got here to the summer season.

However the progress of any facet is greatest measured by league efficiency and it’s tough to argue with Jamie Redknapp’s assertion on Sunday that United are “going backwards”. Having completed third in his first season and a record-low of eighth in his second, United now sit twelfth, with seven factors from six video games.

The membership’s INEOS decision-makers can’t fairly declare to have been caught off guard by these developments given they’re merely a continuation of what got here earlier than.

In truth, United’s common of 1.17 factors per sport within the Premier League this season is sort of equivalent to their common of 1.23 factors per sport within the remaining three months of final time period.

The hope was that one other spherical of spending within the switch market, an easing of their damage listing, and a reshuffle of Ten Hag’s teaching staff may facilitate a change of fortunes, and that the choice to set off the one-year extension within the Dutchman’s contract is likely to be vindicated.

However Sunday’s loss got here with one thing near his strongest facet, a facet which included 4 summer season signings value a mixed complete of £147m. In complete, six of the 11 starters have been purchased to the membership throughout his tenure, together with six of the 9 substitutes. This was his squad as he has helped to form it.

What is obvious is that the problems go deeper than personnel.

Ten Hag’s system continues to look deeply flawed, with Tottenham simply the newest opponent to use the large areas left behind their full-backs and both facet of an overworked holding midfielder. Manuel Ugarte’s torrid full Premier League debut on Sunday confirmed it’s not only a Casemiro drawback.

Tottenham’s second purpose simply after half-time typified their structural points. Amazingly, left-back Diogo Dalot was their furthest man ahead on the level Spurs broke, leaving Lisandro Martinez in a two-vs-one towards Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski, who have been capable of simply race previous him earlier than combining to attain.

It was one other bewilderingly smooth purpose to concede for Manchester United, beginning because it did in an innocuous place within the Tottenham half. The way during which it performed out is much more damning contemplating it got here solely minutes after Ten Hag’s staff discuss.

After all, the gamers aren’t freed from blame for his or her poor performances. As talked about by Neville on Sunday, Christian Eriksen’s feedback that their opponents “wanted it more” after the Europa League draw towards Twente in midweek are a crimson flag.

However it’s unattainable to disregard what number of of their points come again to the person within the dugout. The largest query is how Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS colleagues didn’t see all this coming.