Manchester United and Erik ten Hag may look to cling on to their current four-game unbeaten run in all competitions as a reason for optimism, yet even that can’t hide the continued sense of doom and gloom that has enveloped the club.
Last weekend’s comeback win over Brentford helped to momentarily drag the Red Devils out of a crisis, yet there was to be more frustration in midweek, with the Premier League side putting in a limp display away to Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the Europa League.
Unlike Mourinho, who – despite his at times tiresome touchline antics – remains box office, United are anything but, with Christian Eriksen’s opener coming amid an otherwise lifeless attacking display.
That 1-1 draw showcased once again the club’s shortcomings in front of goal, having thus far scored just seven goals in eight Premier League games this season. Only three teams in the division have scored fewer.
Ten Hag will, at least, be able to abandon his bizarre Noussair Mazraoui experiment amid the return of captain Bruno Fernandes from suspension, while Rasmus Hojlund – who scored the winner against the Bees – can be reinstated ahead of the floundering Joshua Zirkzee for today’s clash with West Ham United.
Joshua Zirkzee's start at Man Utd
There will be calls for patience regarding the Dutchman’s inauspicious start at Old Trafford – and rightly so – yet that patience is beginning to wear a little thin amid Zirkzee’s early struggles.
On paper, it was an effective night in Istanbul for the former Bologna man as he provided the assist for Eriksen’s first-half strike, yet that was a rare moment of quality in what was ‘another anaemic performance from a goalscorer who seldom scores goals’, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.
It is that measly return of one goal so far that has brought much of the criticism, with journalist Mark Ogden suggesting that the £36.5m signing is “nowhere near United level”. It is then no surprise that talk of a return to Serie A in January has been mooted.
Looking limp in front of goal – having again been a day late and a dollar short as a chance evaded him against Thomas Frank’s side a week ago – the 6 foot 4 striker’s casual approach is also beginning to grate, having notably lost the ball seven times from just 21 touches on Thursday, while also winning just two of his eight duels.
Not that the summer signing is alone in having underwhelmed this season, with one of Ten Hag’s regulars having perhaps gone under the radar for his poor form of late.
Ten Hag must drop his nailed-on Man Utd starter
Injuries – as they were for much of last season – are again beginning to whittle United down to their bare bones, with the defensive unit, in particular, having been hampered thus far.
Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro are currently absent, while Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia – neither of whom have played this season – are also yet to make their returns from injury.
That said, with Malacia pictured in training this week – and with Jonny Evans likely to return against the Hammers – Ten Hag does have options to still to choose from, hence why his continued faith in Diogo Dalot may need to be tested.
The Portugal international has largely been an impressive performer since the Dutchman took charge, shaking off the presence of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to end last season as the club’s Players’ Player of the Year, having signed a new five-year deal back in the summer of 2023.
Whether it be at right-back or left-back, the 25-year-old has gone on to start every game so far in 2024/25, with his place in the side rarely questioned. But should it be so nailed on?
The trip to Turkey showcased the defender at his worst, having failed to get tight enough to Allan Saint-Maximin for the home side’s equaliser, while he also simply watched as Sebastian Szymański drifted in behind him in the first half, with a sliding Manuel Ugarte ultimately sparing his blushes.
That was then compounded by his failings at the top end of the pitch, with Dalot spurning a gilt-edged opportunity to tee up either Hojlund or Marcus Rashford in attack, only for his ill-judged pass to prove too wayward for the stretching Rashford.
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As journalist Alex Turk has stated, there is a sense that supporters are “settling for him because there are more pressing areas to address”, yet often has the former Porto man proven something of a liability at the back.
That was notably the case as he hauled down teenager Tyler Dibling against Southampton back in September, while he was also culpable for failing to track Brennan Johnson as Tottenham Hotspur opened the scoring at Old Trafford earlier this month.
The £85k-per-week star held his hand up for that mistake and rightly so, but such errors are becoming far too frequent. Who can forget his unnecessary lunge which sparked Chelsea’s fight-back at Stamford Bridge last season.
It’s not even as if he is making up for those mistakes by providing too much of an outlet in an attacking sense, having still only registered six goals and 11 assists in 170 games for the club. He’s no Trent Alexander-Arnold, put it that way, even if it his record does stack up fairly well compared to many of his rivals this season…
Player
Games
Goals
Assists
‘Big chances’ created
Diogo Dalot (Man Utd)
8
0
1
3
Kyle Walker (Man City)
5
0
0
1
Rico Lewis (Man City)
8
0
2
0
Pedro Porro (Spurs)
8
1
0
1
Ben White (Arsenal)
6
0
0
0
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
8
0
1
5
Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
6
0
0
0
Perhaps the departure of Wan-Bissaka – who United will, ironically, come up against today – has left Dalot too safe and secure in his starting berth, with fresh competition needed to keep him on his toes.
As such, there could be worse moves to make than to deploy Mazraoui on that side, with Lisandro Martinez slotting in again at left-back, allowing either Victor Lindelof or the returning Evans to partner Matthijs de Ligt in the heart of the defence.
With Malacia and Shaw hopefully back in the frame before too long, there will be an interesting decision to make regarding who Ten Hag opts for on that right flank moving forward, with Mazraoui offering a real threat to Dalot’s regular role.
It may seem improbable for the former Ajax boss to make such a change for the trip to the London Stadium, yet with three points desperately needed, something has to give.
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