United hit 'rock bottom' in Brentford drubbing

LONDON • The last two Dutchmen to manage in the English Premier League, Frank de Boer and Ronald Koeman, were both unceremoniously sacked in 2017 after a string of poor results at Crystal Palace and Everton respectively.

There has been no indication the Manchester United board will act the same way but the knives are already out for Erik ten Hag just two games into his managerial career at Old Trafford.

The English press and pundits tore into the team and the former Ajax Amsterdam coach after Saturday's 4-0 top-flight drubbing at the hands of Brentford, a result that left them on zero points and bottom of the league for the first time since 1992.

The Red Devils were all at sea as they fell to their seventh consecutive away league defeat, while the Bees revelled in one of their greatest victories and their first over United in 84 years as they became just the third side to score four against the visitors in the first 45 minutes after Tottenham (2020) and Liverpool (2021).

Ten Hag's decision to play Christian Eriksen, who was booed by the home fans after he decided not to extend his six-month deal with Brentford in the summer, as a defensive midfielder backfired, just like his bizarre decision to field the Danish international, a playmaker by trade, as an equally unfamiliar false nine in their opening home defeat by Brighton.

Lisandro Martinez, another one of his three summer signings, also endured yet another torrid time in defence.

He struggled to cope against the pace of Brighton's Danny Welbeck and on Saturday, his lack of aerial ability was brutally exposed by Brentford forward Ivan Toney.

At 1.75m, Martinez is by far the shortest centre-back in the Premier League, which is renowned for its sheer physicality.

When the Argentinian international signed for United from Ajax last month, many pundits had expressed their reservations, citing his height as a problem and Brentford exploited it all game, with Ben Mee beating him in the air for one of the hosts' goals.

Josh Dasilva, courtesy of a David de Gea howler, Mathias Jensen, who caught Eriksen in possession before slotting home, and Bryan Mbeumo also got on the scoresheet as the hosts recorded their biggest top-flight victory since 1938.

Martinez was hauled off at the break after his abject display, along with Fred and Luke Shaw, who were just as appalling, but it was just a case of damage limitation in the second half.

Ten Hag is now the first United manager since John Chapman in 1921 to lose his opening two games in charge of the club and there will be no relief on the horizon as they host title challengers Liverpool in the league next Monday.

Pundit Chris Sutton said United had "hit rock bottom" while his former Blackburn strike partner Alan Shearer put down the debacle to years of mismanagement by the club's owners, the Glazer family.

"It is an absolute mess... there is a lack of leadership and the recruitment has been terrible," Shearer added.

Former United skipper Gary Neville went further, claiming he was witnessing the "annihilation of the club", while former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor said ten Hag should just "pack it up".

In the aftermath of the Brentford rout, ten Hag blamed the players for not performing, saying: "It's quite clear it's rubbish, it's poor, and we need higher standards than that, and it's clear.

"Difficult for me and a surprise. The team has to take the responsibility and I feel sorry for the fans. We let them down.

"Don't get me wrong, the manager is responsible as well, he has the main responsibility and I take that. And I will work on that. I have to give them (the players) belief, but they have to give it by themselves."

REUTERS