Manchester United have been on a downward spiral ever since the beginning of the season and they are currently seated at the bottom of the table having suffered two defeats. Their recent battering from Brentford has sparked a new round of claim and counter-claim over what is happening at Old Trafford. After the debacle of their first two Premier League games under Erik ten Hag, a realistic finishing position for Manchester United is mid-table at best. While Ten Hag is culpable for team selection and how he set his side up against Brighton and Brentford, United's new boss has been handicapped by the club's failure to deliver the players he needs. Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal, all of whom finished above United last season, have spent more and strengthened their squads with key signings to consolidate their status as top-four contenders. United, in contrast, have made three signings that have failed to address the biggest areas of concern within ten Hag's squad. United needs a goalkeeper to challenge David De Gea and a right-back to replace Diogo Dalot, who is simply not good enough.

In some pundits' view, this is the worst Manchester United team, since last season. Manchester United will be lucky to finish in the top 10 unless the club's American owners realize they have a crisis on their hands. United were sixth last season and qualified for the Europa League. But European football is the last thing Ten Hag needs because it means his time to work on the training ground with the squad he inherited will be limited. Ten Hag's other problem is that Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Arsenal have all improved over the summer, so those five will quickly be out of sight. Brighton and Brentford already know from playing United that the Red Devils have deteriorated further - and they will have United in their sights now. The Glazer family have spent big money in the transfer market over the last decade - but the wrong people have been trusted to spend it. They must now put their faith in Ten Hag and give him the money he needs for targets like Frenkie De Jong, Antony, and Cody Gakpo. 

As of now, a finish in the Europa League spots is the best they can hope for and that may well prove too much to ask, so a first foray in the Europa Conference League awaits. With a derby against Liverpool up next, Erik ten Hag must deploy a five-man defense in an effort to stem the flow of goals his side are conceding. Otherwise, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, and Luis Diaz will have a field day at Old Trafford. Man Utd shouldn't be concerned with achieving more than an eighth-place finish this season - and perhaps even next year too. They are proving that they can't handle the Premier League so they certainly don't need European football to also contend with. Ten Hag's first job at United therefore is being ruthless in the transfer market and parting company with at least 10 players: Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Maguire, David de Gea, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial are all on that list. Once these individuals are gone, Ten Hag can slowly set about signing young stars to play a certain way in his system.