Ten Hag faces United reality

Manchester – Erik ten Hag (above) expressed his surprise at seeing Manchester United capitulate to a 4-0 defeat at Brentford that leaves the Red Devils bottom of the Premier League for the first time in 30 years.

But after just two games in charge, the Dutchman is getting a crash course in United’s new reality.

The 20-time English champions have now lost seven consecutive away league games for the first time since 1936.

That run included similar thrashings at Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.

Any hope of a new dawn under the former Ajax boss has been blown apart by the same failings on and off the pitch that have persisted during a decade of decline at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag’s predecessor Ralf Rangnick signed off from his miserable caretaker spell last season by stating the United squad needed “open heart surgery” and up to 10 new players after labouring to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.

Two games into the new season, only three new faces have arrived in the form of Lisandro Martinez, Tyrell Malacia and Christian Eriksen.

The United squad is arguably even weaker than last season with Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, Jesse Lingard, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata having left for free, while goalkeeper Dean Henderson has joined Nottingham Forest on loan.

United’s transfer window has instead been dominated by two moves that have not happened.

Despite Barcelona’s desperation to sell, Frenkie de Jong has resisted the chance to reunite with his former Ajax boss.

Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, is keen to cut short his second spell at Old Trafford but cannot find a Champions League contender willing to pay up for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

“The time has come for the Glazer family to sell the football club,” said former United captain Gary Neville.

“The people above him should have known that was an unacceptable situation to hand Erik ten Hag that squad.”

All the while Ten Hag is left to turn around a sinking ship with the squad he largely inherited.

“I asked them to play with belief and take responsibility for your performance and that is what we didn’t do,” he said.

“It seems like what happened in the past, last season, comes into this season and we have to change that quickly.” –