Even though Saturday’s come-from-behind win over Brentford was a huge relief for Erik ten Hag and company, they still have a long way to go.
United were behind against Thomas Frank’s team heading into stoppage time, putting them at risk of suffering their sixth loss in eight Premier League matches this season. However, Scott McTominay scored two critical goals in stoppage time to transform defeat into a win.
United’s next match, against winless Sheffield United, is two weeks away due to the international break. Mirror Football has examined the top five concerns for the Dutchman to handle during this time, so he won’t have to rest on his laurels.
One, resolve the Sancho dilemma.
Sancho, an England player, was welcomed with excitement when he moved to Old Trafford last year, and he showed signs of rediscovering his form under Ten Hag, albeit on and off. However, player and coach have had a rocky relationship this season.
In early September, Ten Hag’s public reprimand of Sancho and his exclusion from the United squad’s matchday roster against Arsenal brought their feud to a climax. Sancho responded publicly as well, and he hasn’t been seen around much since.
It’s been over a month, and it seems like the former Dortmund star will never play again. If that’s the case, Ten Hag will need to coordinate with the club to get Sancho shipped off in the new year, with clubs like Dortmund and Juventus rumored to be interested.
2. settle on a defense strategy
United has managed just two clean sheets in 10 games this season throughout the Premier League and Champions League. One was against a Burnley team that has lost all of its home league games, and the other was against a Wolves team that felt they were entitled to a penalty kick due to a foul committed by Andre Onana in the waning seconds of the game.
That kind of streak may be endured if goals are coming easily, but United has only scored twice in the league all season, both times on Saturday. The strong defense that helped them finish in third last season has been noticeably absent so far this year.
Especially on the left side of the defense, injuries have been a problem. Ten Hag will need a new strategy now that both Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez will be sidelined for a while; he may have to swallow his pride and implement a system that benefits Harry Maguire, even though the center back appeared ready to go only weeks ago.
Third, figure out how to aid Onana.
David de Gea was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League last year. Even However, Ten Hag had already made it known that he wanted Onana to be his starting goalkeeper, thus he eventually left Old Trafford.
Onana, a goalkeeper from Cameroon, demonstrated his brilliance when playing for Internazionale, helping the team reach the Champions League final. However, with Mathias Jensen’s debut for Brentford over the weekend, there have been even more concerns about why it hasn’t occurred for him at Old Trafford.
Although Onana was brought in to help with distribution, his preference for going long over the weekend cast doubt on whether or not that would actually happen. Ten Hag will have to figure out what his goalie wants, whether it’s a change in defensive personnel, a shift in strategy, or even a break from the limelight, and then deliver.
Fourth, have the league kick Hojlund to the curb
Rasmus Hojlund, a striker signed in the summer, has been inconsistent so far. A pair of goals against Galatasaray stand out among his strong performances in Europe, but he has yet to score in the Premier League.
United relied on McTominay off the bench, despite the Dane’s opportunity to shine against Brentford. Hojlund could take heart from the fact that Richarlison of Spurs, another goalless Premier League striker, finally scored in the upcoming matchup against United’s opponents.
But before that, in Euro 2024 qualification, Denmark will face Kazakhstan and San Marino. There aren’t many chances like this one, so Ten Hag is hoping some of the groundwork is laid for him.
5. Allow McTominay to prove himself.
Scott McTominay has already done just about everything he could have to make his case. The boss might agree with the Scottish superstar after he rescued Ten Hag on Saturday.
Naturally, the issue is who gives way. With the manager claiming that Casemiro “wanted more football” when he was substituted at halftime last weekend, the manager may have found the perfect excuse to rest one of his veteran players.
United must adjust their strategy in light of the fact that Casemiro will be unavailable for their forthcoming Champions League match against FC Copenhagen. With Brazil hosting Venezuela this coming Friday and playing in Uruguay five days later, Ten Hag may opt to rest the Selecao captain, Casemiro, due to his heavy travel schedule.