LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 04: Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United celebrates after scoring the ... [+]
Amid all the gloom that has engulfed Manchester United this season it came as a genuine surprise they are currently the Premier League’s most in form side.
United’s 1-0 win over Luton Town on Saturday was their fourth in the last five games, the best record of any other club in the Premier League over the same period.
United are currently sixth in the table, a mere seven points behind leaders Manchester City, and just five points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, who have been lauded all season for the attractive football they have played under their new manager Ange Postecoglou.
The vast majority of the season is still to be played, with 78 points available to win, so it would not be that outlandish to suggest a team in United’s reasonably healthy position in the table would still be able to launch a title challenge.
This is, of course, highly unlikely, but despite all their problems United have managed to remain in touch with the top of the table.
But it was only two weeks ago the United manager Erik ten Hag’s future was being speculated about, with a sense he could soon be sacked, after he had presided over consecutive 3-0 defeats at Old Trafford to Manchester City and Newcastle.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Erik ten Hag, manager of Manchester United, issues instructions ... [+]
And last week’s 4-3 defeat to FC Copenhagen in the Champions League meant United had lost nine of their first 17 games this season, their worst start since the 1973-74 season when they were relegated from the First Division.
But United’s triumph over Luton was also Ten Hag’s 30th win from his first 50 Premier League games, the fastest United manager to this total, and the sixth fastest in Premier League history. This placed him behind Manuel Pellegrini (34 games), Pep Guardiola (34), Carlo Ancelotti (36), Antonio Conte (38) and Jose Mourinho (38).
And what unites these five managers ahead of Ten Hag? They have all won the Premier League title, which possibly suggests if the Dutchman maintains his impressive win ratio he could emulate them in the future.
This flurry of largely encouraging statistics actually puts United’s start to the season and Ten Hag’s own standing in a surprisingly encouraging light.
And yet this does not come close to reflecting what United fans have had to endure this season, as they are still waiting to see their side play well over the course of a full game after 16 of them in the Premier League and Champions League.
In the Premier League there have been five defeats, and seven wins, all by a single goal, and none achieved with an accomplished performance.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - AUGUST 14: Raphael Varane of Manchester United celebrates with Jadon Sancho ... [+]
United should have lost their opening game to Wolves, when they allowed them to have 23 shots at goal, they trailed 2-0 to Nottingham Forest before launching a comeback, the wins over Burnley and Sheffield were ground out with little flair, they needed two goals in added time to overcome Brentford, and a last minute winner against Fulham.
In the Champions League United have lost three times, and won just once, against FC Copenhagen at Old Trafford when they needed Andre Onana to save a last minute penalty.
United have often looked lost, uncertain of themselves, devoid of any real identity, mentally fragile, vulnerable in defence and far too slow to progress the ball.
All the optimism that surged through Old Trafford in the summer after finishing third, winning the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup final has evaporated.
But Ten Hag would be able to point to his side’s dreadful injury record this season, which has seen a total of 20 players miss games, and most significantly, three of last season’s most influential players: Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro and Luke Shaw.
When Ten Hag is finally able to choose these players and field his strongest starting line-up United should be able to build some momentum.
Manchester United's Argentinian defender #06 Lisandro Martinez (C) looks to play a pass during the ... [+]
Martinez will help United start their attacks from the back, Shaw will provide openings and overlaps on the left side, especially for Marcus Rashford who clearly misses him, and Casemiro will be able to give greater protection to the defence.
Ten Hag urgently needs to address his side’s biggest problem: their chronic lack of goals. They have scored just 13 in 12 Premier League games, and have a goal difference of minus three. A United striker has contributed just a single goal in the Premier League this season.
To be sitting in sixth position with this record feels like an anomaly, but they won’t remain there for much longer if this continues.
Ten Hag needs to help Rashford rediscover the natural instincts that saw him score 30 goals last season; Rasmus Hojlund, who is yet to score in the Premier League, needs more service from his team-mates, from the barren wings and from Bruno Fernandes behind him, and United need to start scoring goals earlier to seize control of games, as they still haven’t managed to do it in the first 15 minutes this season.
At this stage last season United had 23 points, only two more than they currently have, which proves it is still not too late for Ten Hag to do it again and make this a successful season.
