Manchester United are in determined want of a win at FC Copenhagen within the Champions League on Wednesday as they battle to keep away from an embarrassing group-stage exit.
The three-time European champions sneaked previous the Danish facet 1-0 at Old Trafford final month due to a final-gasp penalty save from goalkeeper Andre Onana.
Heavy defeats by Manchester City and Newcastle have since ramped up the stress on supervisor Erik ten Hag, which was solely eased barely by a 1-0 win at Fulham on Saturday.
United are third in Group A, six factors behind leaders Bayern Munich and one adrift of Galatasaray.
If they fail to win in Copenhagen, Galatasaray could possibly be ready knock United out when the perimeters meet in Istanbul on November 29.
Follow all of the motion from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 together with the World Cup schedule, World Cup 2023 outcomes, and ICC Cricket World Cup factors desk. Players are vying to high the World Cup 2023 Most Runs and World Cup 2023 Most Wickets charts.
Here’ a glance at what has gone incorrect for Ten Hag in his second season at Old Trafford.
Recruitment
United followers have regularly voiced intense frustration at the working of the membership by the Glazer household, however Ten Hag has nonetheless loved an enormous switch finances.
More than £400 million ($497 million) has been spent previously three switch home windows, with few apparent successes.
Former Ajax winger Antony, purchased final 12 months for £86 million, has hardly ever lived as much as his large price ticket, scoring simply eight objectives in 55 appearances.
Mason Mount, like Antony, has commonly discovered himself on the bench in current weeks simply months after a £55 million transfer from Chelsea, and has but to attain for his new membership.
Onana’s penalty save towards Copenhagen was atonement for expensive errors towards Bayern and Galatasaray as United misplaced their opening two group video games of a Champions League marketing campaign for the primary time.
One of the criticisms aimed at Ten Hag is that he has been too reliant on the Dutch market, which he is aware of effectively.
Eight of his signings have earlier expertise of taking part in within the Eredivisie however a lot of them have struggled with the additional calls for of taking part in for one of many world’s greatest golf equipment within the Premier League.
Injuries
Ten Hag is regularly criticised for failing to impose an identification and magnificence of play, almost 18 months into his reign, however he has been hampered by accidents to key gamers.
United carried out impressively within the Dutchman’s first marketing campaign in cost, ending a six-12 months trophy drought and ending third within the Premier League.
This season, lengthy-time period absences for Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez, in addition to accidents to Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, have stretched his defensive sources to breaking level.
In an additional headache for the previous Ajax supervisor, midfielder Casemiro has been dominated out for “several weeks” with a hamstring harm.
Veteran centre-again Jonny Evans, introduced again to the membership as defensive cowl, believes the absence of so many gamers has destabilised the squad.
“I think the manager’s found out difficulties having to sort of work on the team, on tactics and having to change the personnel quite a lot with only two days in between games,” he stated.
Misfiring stars
Manchester United’s marquee gamers have did not ship this season, with Marcus Rashford, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes all effectively under par.
Rashford’s decline is probably the most stark — he has only a solitary aim in 14 matches, in contrast with 30 for the membership final season, when he discovered a brand new stage.
Ten Hag says the England ahead is “very motivated to put things right” however he desperately wants his essential man to search out kind rapidly.
Brazilian worldwide midfielder Casemiro, 31, has did not match the excessive requirements he set throughout a powerful first season at United.
Casemiro is high scorer, with 4 objectives in all competitions, however he has struggled with the defensive facet of his recreation, leaving a leaky defence much more susceptible.
Portugal midfielder Fernandes has typically reduce a annoyed determine and has not been a constant inventive drive for a facet which have managed simply 12 objectives in 11 Premier League video games this season.
Ten Hag will hope his late winner towards Fulham on Saturday sparks a revival for the participant he made captain in July.
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – AFP)
