Five Man Utd stars are clear evidence of Erik ten Hag’s problems he’s failing to solve

Despite his hefty price tag of over £70 million, Rasmus Hojlund has become quite the popular figure at Old Trafford, despite not scoring in seven Premier League appearances and being responsible for the penalty that kickstarted Manchester City’s effortless victory.

When Hojlund was substituted just after 70 minutes, in a one-sided elite match, the jeers directed at Erik ten Hag were brief but intense.

The crowd’s discontent was about more than just the change in personnel; it reflected a broader disillusionment. With United trailing 2-0, the decision to remove the center-forward puzzled many.

Ten Hag may have some injuries to contend with, leading him to field a backline that would probably have been content with conceding just three goals.

However, the issue at hand goes deeper: Manchester United lacks identity, attacking ambition, personality, and a plan.

Even against mid-table teams, they frequently play on the counter-attack, a far cry from the dreams that the Theatre of Dreams was built on. This should never be acceptable.

The match was nothing short of embarrassing. Antony’s reckless challenge on Jeremy Doku in the closing moments of this one-sided affair was an affront to the United jersey.

A whopping £82 million was paid for this kind of performance. Unbelievable.

It’s challenging to know where to begin when enumerating United’s flaws, but Hojlund’s situation epitomizes the lack of coherent decision-making in the club’s recruitment process.

While Hojlund may turn out to be a decent player, when you have that much money available and desperately need a proven goal-scorer, why spend it on raw potential?

Two more signings by Ten Hag, Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount, each played a half, and in a contest to see who could make the least impact, it ended in a draw.

Under Ten Hag, too many established talents are either losing their way or, even worse, seem to be losing interest.

A prime example is Marcus Rashford, who has had a better track record playing for England this year than for his own club.

Rashford also did not stay on for the entire match, which concluded with United players confronting the referee, though the reasons for their protest were unclear.

Then again, not much was clear about United’s performance that afternoon.

It’s no wonder the fans jeered. If they continue to witness such performances, Ten Hag’s issue won’t merely be the risk of a jeer or two for substituting a striker. His job may not be on the line, but his reputation certainly is.