Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Old Trafford left them 14th in the Premier League table with only three points from their first three games of the campaign.
The pressure is already mounting on Erik ten Hag after he oversaw the club’s lowest finish of the Premier League era last term, in eighth.
As the dust settles on the latest defeat, we ask what the Dutchman needs from Manchester United’s next block of fixtures, after the international break, in order to turn the situation around.
What’s in store for United?
United’s schedule features a run of seven games in the space of 22 days between the end of the September international break and the start of the October break.
There will be a lot of travel involved, too, with their Europa League campaign starting and four of the seven games, including three of the four Premier League fixtures, taking place away from home.
It begins away to newly-promoted Southampton in the early kick-off on Saturday September 14. Russell Martin’s side sit second-bottom having lost their opening three games, their only goal so far a stoppage-time consolation in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Brentford.
United welcome League One Barnsley to Old Trafford on Tuesday September 17 in the Carabao Cup third round before another Premier League away game, against Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace, live on Sky Sports on Saturday September 21.
They open their Europa League campaign at home to Twente on Wednesday September 25, then host Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham in the Premier League, live on Sky Sports on Sunday September 29, before a trip to Porto on Thursday October 3.
Their final fixture before the October international break is another tricky one as they go to Villa Park to face Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, live on Sky Sports on October 6.
How do their Premier League games compare?
On paper, it is a relatively tough batch of fixtures.
Based on last season’s finishing positions, only six Premier League sides – Manchester City, Tottenham, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Brentford – have more difficult games than United between the international breaks.
It is also worth noting how United fared in the same fixtures last term. They did not face Southampton, of course, but they were thrashed 4-0 by Palace at Selhurst Park in May, having been beaten 1-0 by them at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign.
Last season’s home game against Tottenham, meanwhile, ended in a 2-2 draw in January, with Ten Hag’s side twice losing the lead having also been beaten 2-0 by Ange Postecoglou’s side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in August.
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They fared better against Aston Villa, triumphing 2-1 in last season’s meeting at Villa Park in February courtesy of Scott McTominay’s late goal. But, across the three games, and the trip to Saints, Ten Hag will need better results than last year’s if he is to ease the pressure.
Cups can only provide so much relief
Ten Hag continues to fall back on his record of being second only to Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola in terms of trophies won in England since taking over at Old Trafford.
Certainly, those trophy wins, last season’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City at Wembley coming after victory over Newcastle in the 2023 Carabao Cup final, were high points for the club’s supporters after five seasons without silverware.
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Ten Hag will be looking to the cup competitions to provide further relief this season, starting after the international break.
United have been handed a favourable Carabao Cup tie against Barnsley, giving them what should be an easy route into the fourth round. A strong start in the Europa League will also be key after the disappointment of last season’s Champions League campaign.
But progress in the cups will only get him so far. If United’s Premier League form does not improve, and knowing INEOS were sounding out other managers in the summer, it is difficult to see him getting as far as potential cup finals later in the campaign.
Ugarte needs to hit the ground running
Ten Hag warned that new signing Manuel Ugarte could take “months” to adapt to the Premier League on Sunday but he will need the Uruguay international sooner than that.
Casemiro’s wretched display against Liverpool underlined the issues at the base of midfield. Ugarte’s energy, intensity and ball-winning ability are qualities they currently lack.
Getting him up to speed must be a priority but Ten Hag might not get much of a chance to work with him on the training pitch during the international break, with Ugarte expected to travel to South America for Uruguay’s World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Venezuela.
Besides, the bigger concern is that Ten Hag’s system will leave Ugarte with an impossible task to solve the side’s defensive issues. The Liverpool game highlighted United’s long-standing problems around openness in transition under Ten Hag, with Arne Slot’s side scoring all of their goals from turnovers inside the United half.
The same openness was apparent against Fulham and Brighton. United rank fourth in the division in terms of transition opportunities given to their opponents this season, while only Newcastle have given up more transitions reaching the final third or the box.
Ugarte, nine years younger than Casemiro at 23, will bring much-needed bite to the position. Only Joao Palhinha has averaged more tackles per 90 minutes over the last two seasons in Europe’s major leagues. But Ten Hag must adjust his system as well as his personnel.
Finishing issues must be resolved
Manchester United have only scored twice in their first three Premier League games, but not because of a lack of chances. They actually rank fifth in terms of expected goals. Poor finishing has left them with the highest negative xG differential in the division.
Ten Hag’s side have missed a total of nine big chances – the joint-highest in the division along with Sunday’s opponents Liverpool. The difference is that Liverpool also rank top for big chances scored, with seven, while United are still on zero in that metric.
New signing Joshua Zirkzee has been profligate since his opening-game winner against Fulham but it is a collective problem, with Zirkzee one of three players, along with Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes to have missed at least two big chances.
Ten Hag can ill-afford more of the same wastefulness after the international break and will need Rasmus Hojlund, scorer of 10 Premier League goals last season, making him the side’s joint-top goalscorer, to return from his hamstring injury with his shooting boots firmly on.
‘United need to start positive shift’
Sky Sports’ Peter Smith
While Man Utd now have two weeks to dwell on their loss to rivals Liverpool, Ten Hag will surely welcome the opportunity to reset and try to relaunch the start of their season. Two weeks to rethink and refine the tactical approach, two weeks to refresh and revive some of the injured players.
Key men Luke Shaw and Hojlund should be back available soon after this international break, while a favourable few fixtures at home and in Europe offer the opportunity to rebuild some momentum.
But United and Ten Hag must find a foothold before rounding off their next batch of games against Tottenham, Porto and Aston Villa. Losing those league games back-to-back – which is not out of the question given United’s start and the strength of those sides – really would pile the pressure on going into the October international break.
Gary Neville said on Sunday Ten Hag cannot afford to have United around mid-table at Christmas. But a positive shift must start now in September if Ten Hag is to lay the foundations for a season of real – and essential – progress.
Source : Sky Sports
