The Premier League is beginning to resemble Groundhog Day, which is concerning, especially for Manchester United.

A Rodri-less Manchester City looks as dominant as ever at the top, while the three recently promoted teams—all of whom have yet to win—at the bottom seem headed for the relegation.

In terms of Erik ten Hag’s team, the current season has gotten off to a similar start as the previous few, with the Red Devils having only won one of their first three league games.

Ten Hag is Man Utd’s PL starter.

Time of year

First Game

Second Game

Third Game

2022–2023

defeat against Brighton (H) of 2-1

Losing 4-0 at Brentford (A)

victory by 2-1 over Liverpool (H)

2023–2024

Win 1-0 against Wolves (H)

2-0 down against the Spurs (A)

victory against Forest (3-2)

2024–2025

Win 1-0 over Fulham (H)

defeat by Brighton (A) of 2-1

defeat against Liverpool (3-0)

Although it would be unreasonable to write off the Dutchman this early in the new season, a bad start is basically fatal for any remote chance of a championship push in this City-dominated age.

Though it’s unlikely that United will challenge for the league title, you would think that after spending more than £600 million under Ten Hag’s direction, the team would be closing in on its 11-year streak of futility. But as Sunday demonstrated, they are as far away as they possibly be.

In actuality, the former Ajax manager was humbled and almost embarrassed by the 3-0 loss to a strong Liverpool team, since his opposite number and fellow countryman Arne Slot had already put together a somber ensemble in only his first three games in command. on contrast, Ten Hag is currently on his third season.

There’s little denying that Ten Hag is the starting lineup at Old Trafford with six of his acquisitions in the starting lineup. The 54-year-old, who was most people’s rightfully retained on after the FA Cup final, will undoubtedly feel the heat after coming so close to being fired during the summer.

INEOS’s public flirtation with the manager’s future has undoubtedly not helped; the former Utrecht coach, who also had his backroom staff dismantled this summer, now seems to be a dead man walking.

Manchester United Premier League’s Erik Ten Hag

While there is still time to make a difference, Casemiro, one of Ten Hag’s most important lieutenants, already appears to be out of time.

Numbers-based game of Casemiro vs Liverpool

The irony was palpable as Ryan Gravenberch, one of the few former Ajax players who hasn’t reconnected with Ten Hag, stole the show in the middle of the park. It was likely the two men playing at number six for their respective teams that decided the outcome of the match.

Casemiro, the Brazilian, was sent out at halftime after making two costly possession blunders, while the Netherlands international appeared calm and collected as the visitors’ heartbeat.

Casemiro vs. Gravenberch: A numerical matchup

Stat

The Gravenberch

Casemiro

Played minutes

90

45

Feels

61

45

Accuracy pass

84%

70%

Pass keys

0

0

Large opportunities generated

0

0

Ground fights were won.

9/06

2/5

Aerial combat prevailed.

1/1

1/1

Dribbled over

0

2.

Effective dribbles

Half a

1/1

Goal-achieving error

0

2.

Lost of possession

Eleven times

14 times

Statistics sourced from Sofascore

The former Real Madrid great had shot an errant pass towards Kobbie Mainoo for the game’s first goal. He then sheepishly gave up the ball to Luis Diaz for the away team’s second goal, slumping to the ground in the remote chance of drawing a foul.

Any pass that results in a direct shot on goal for the opposition is considered a vital pass.

Though he seemed more slender and agile against teams like City and Fulham in the first weeks of the season, his most recent display demonstrated why the team was eager to let him go earlier in the transfer window; the only thing holding him back was diminishing interest from Saudi Arabia.

Perhaps the manager’s tactics are leaving the 32-year-old exposed, but even the most critical of Ten Hag would have to concede that the Dutchman is not to blame for Casemiro’s completely lost expression while in possession.

The concerning thing is that, according to Ten Hag, new signing Manuel Ugarte might take “months” to get up to speed. As a result, the five-time Champions League winner might have to stick with the team because there aren’t many other options. Christian Eriksen is the only other senior midfield player who is fit aside from Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.

Casemiro’s ongoing problems and this lack of depth are problems in and of themselves, but it’s possible that the former Porto player’s failings are hiding a more serious issue at the Theatre of Dreams: the inconsistency and poor quality of the attack.

Greater issue for Man Utd than Casemiro

Although Casemiro should have known better than to give the Merseysiders the lead on Sunday, it’s important to keep in mind that goals win games, and United just can’t seem to score any.

Man, United, and Casemiro

After scoring just 57 goals in the top tier to place tenth in the division, the Red Devils concluded the previous season with a negative goal differential for the first time since 1989–1990.

Even with the £36.5 million arrival of Joshua Zirkzee this summer, the Manchester team’s offensive deficiencies don’t seem to have improved as they have only scored three goals in their first four games of the season.

Even though Rasmus Hojlund, the new number nine, ended 2023–24 as the club’s top scorer with 16 goals across all competitions, his injury sustained during the preseason hasn’t helped things. The young Dane is by no means a sure thing when it comes to goals.

United Manchester-Hojlund

The fact that Ten Hag was left with just Amad, Antony, and juvenile striker Ethan Wheatley as his offensive options was definitely worrying, even with the proviso that the former Atalanta player was not placed on the bench this past weekend.

Wheatley, the team’s 250th academy graduate, has not yet scored in a first-team game, while Antony, who cost £86 million and has only played 83 games for United so far, is still a stinker. There were even rumors that he might leave late on deadline day.

Dan James, for example, had 18 goal assists in 74 games.

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With just 25 first-team appearances in three and a half years, Amad is still a player with promise rather than a guaranteed, continuous performance, despite the enthusiasm around the Ivorian sensation following his goal against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The burden on players like Marcus Rashford has only increased due to the lack of experienced offensive depth; yet, based on the season’s first few games, it’s unlikely that the Englishman will ever again reach the heights of 2022–2023, when he scored 30 goals on all fronts.

Ten Hag must remove the once-breathtaking winger from the firing line because he is just showing a lack of confidence, as seen by his refusal to take on Ibrahima Konate in the second half.

In defense of himself, though, Rashford may have had two assists on Sunday if the previously mentioned Zirkzee had taken his opportunities. The 23-year-old headed right at Alisson before missing the mark shortly after.

Marcus, Rashford, Man United, Liverpool

Even though the dynamic Argentine striker ‘only’ scored ten goals in 50 appearances in 2023–24, the 6’4” marksman is arguably not the all-around goal scorer that was needed after scoring just 12 times in Italy last season. As a result, much will be expected of young Alejandro Garnacho.

Although Jadon Sancho only scored 12 goals in 83 appearances for the team, there shouldn’t have been any questions raised about his departure. However, it appears that United has left itself rather short in the offensive department, and it’s unclear where the goals will come from this year.

Liverpool, on the other hand, had players like Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo available off the bench this past weekend, with new signing Federico Chiesa observing. Sancho’s new team, Chelsea, appears to have an abundance of offensive talent as well, with players like Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Joao Felix, Noni Madueke, and Nicolas Jackson.

It’s somewhat puzzling how United ended up in this situation given their recent massive purchasing spree, and if they don’t start scoring soon, we might be in for a lengthy season at Old Trafford.

I hope after the international break things really pick up, but for Ten Hag under the INEOS administration, this feels more like the beginning of the end than the beginning of anything fresh.

Hopefully, he can disprove our assumptions.