20 September 2023 , 14:00
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Erik ten Hag is already under mounting pressure at Manchester United, according to former player Dimitar Berbatov.
The United boss has seen his side lose three of their five Premier League games so far, most recently at home to Brighton. Defeat at the hands of the Seagulls, who outplayed United, will have rung major alarm bells as Ten Hag's side already begin to lose touch with the top sides.
The Dutchman enjoyed a promising first season but, in all five games, his side have been unconvincing despite notable sums being spent again in the summer. Berbatov claims United are "not building anything" and the season could soon pass them by if they do not improve.
Their next task sees them shift focus to the Champions League, where they will face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The German champions, powered by Harry Kane, could further deepen the woes at Old Trafford with Berbatov admitting things are spiralling out of control.
He told Betfair: “On the pitch, based on the results and how they've been performing I think United are in a little bit of a crisis. Also, they're in a bit of a crisis off the pitch at the moment with the takeover. One minute it’s on, next minute it’s off. No one seems to know what's going on or where things stand.
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“Some people are saying that the mini crisis is starting with the ownership because they're the guys who are laying the foundations for everything that goes down the chain. Some think it's down to what happens on the pitch, the coaching decisions or the players. I think they're all connected in a way.
Man Utd were outplayed in their most recent defeat“Most importantly, on the pitch at the moment Man United are still sleeping and we saw that against Brighton. Man United were fully out-played and out-smarted and they deserved to lose. The way Brighton played football, their intent with their passing and overall with everything they out-played United at Old Trafford. It was painful to watch.”
United's only two wins this term have come over Wolves and Nottingham Forest - and in those matches they were second best for periods. Ten Hag, speaking after their recent defeat to Brighton, refused to be drawn on any crisis talk despite dealing with problems on and off the pitch.
A heavy loss at Bayern could prove even more damaging with United tipped to make it out of their group alongside the German outfit. United have struggled to make an impact in the Champions League for a decade with Ten Hag embarking on his first campaign with the club.