Manchester United: A Bumpy Start to a Once Hopeful Campaign

By: Anthony Tazbaz

Image Credit: Nat Callaghan

What is happening at Manchester United?

Last Saturday, Bruno Fernandes scored a beautiful volley goal just before halftime against Burnley FC at Turf Moor. This win gave Manchester United a much-needed confidence boost — climbing into the upper half of the Premier League table and boasting a .500 record (3 wins, 3 losses).

However, considering the club's ambitious project and spending scheme, Saturday's result should happen on a regular basis. Without a doubt, the club desperately needs to do something to change their performances and empower their hopes.

A Closer Look

Despite their .500 record, almost every performance has left much to be desired.

Their opening match, a 1-0 victory against relegation zone dwellers Wolverhampton Wanderers, did not leave many Manchester United fans nor players very emphatic, knowing it should have been a larger scoreline and it lacked consistent football.

Then came the first major match, away against Tottenham Hotspur, which resulted in a 2-0 loss. Although they redeemed themselves with a comeback 3-2 victory against Nottingham Forest, The Red Devils dropped the next two matches, both of which finished with a 3-1 scoreline. The opponents: Arsenal and Brighton — both in the top five of the Premier League table. It also did not help that former Manchester United player Danny Welbeck played a crucial role in Brighton's victory, including scoring the opening goal.

This was followed by the Champions League, where the squad was completely routed by Bayern Munich in the first half, trailing 2-0 after 45 minutes. Despite a better second half and almost erasing a 3-1 (then 4-2) deficit, the club started its Champions League campaign on the wrong foot.

Issues Beyond the Green

Worse, the club has been experiencing a myriad of issues off the pitch. First, there was Mason Greenwood, who faced sexual assault and rape charges against his partner before the prosecution dropped the charges following witnesses refusing to cooperate in the investigation.

While this issue boiled over the previous season, the club made the executive decision of declaring Greenwood's time at Manchester United to be over. He was then loaned to La Liga outfit Getafe CF on the deadline day of the Summer transfer window, where he recently made his debut 20 months after his last match for Manchester.

Then came allegations against winger Antony, who faces allegations of domestic abuse against his ex-partner, Brazilian DJ Gabriela Cavellin. Despite denouncing these allegations, there seems to be mounting evidence, suggesting that this may get uglier. The Brazilian was also excluded from Brazil's squad for its World Cup qualifying matches amid the abuse claims.

If two player files are not enough, add a third! Young midfielder Jadon Sancho, who arrived at Old Trafford in July 2021 for €85 million from Borussia Dortmund, is now completely alienated from the squad. Although this can occasionally happen, this issue is far more toxic than your typical disagreement between a coach and player.

Club manager Erik Ten Haag not only benched Sancho during several matches, but left him at home, citing his lack of commitment during training session. Sancho then took to X (formerly Twitter) and questioned his manager's decision to exclude him from the squad (tweet not deleted), which led to retaliation from Ten Haag, ultimately banishing the midfielder from the first team. Ten Haag has since demanded an apology for publicly questioning his authority.

However, this file is far more impactful at the club than Greenwood or Antony. Since Sancho's banishment, several other players have reportedly grown frustrated of Ten Haag's tactics and banishing Sancho. Reports point to several players feeling that Ten Haag has favourites in the squad and is unwilling to single them out for criticism, while several others feel negatively targeted by the manager.

At The End of The Day

From poor performances to alienation from the squad, to criminal charges, Manchester United supporters have the right to feel disgruntled towards their favourite club. After all, this was supposed to be a strong season after finishing fourth last season and Ten Haag seemed to have figured out his club from a tactical perspective.

With Jadon Sancho benched, or even a botched transfer for Harry Maguire to West Ham during the summer, several supporters feel that Ten Haag has carried on a legacy of player mismanagement, one started following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013.

However, this win against Burnley could create a spark. Although Burnley remain winless (one draw, four losses), management under Ten Haag has yielded strong runs of excellent football. Their next two fixtures against Crystal Palace — EFL Cup Third Round and Premier League match — will be a perfect opportunity to find their groove. However, Ten Haag's tenure also yielded a series of very poor performances. Barring a change in pattern, one better hope Manchester United do not start losing.

Ten Haag's job could also soon be in trouble should these performances and PR gaffes persist. I would not be surprised if Ten Haag loses his job sometime this season.

What do you think? Will Ten Haag get sacked? Will Manchester United claw back into form?

Leave a comment down below!