Ten Hag has given himself too much to do to fix United

Dutchman’s control at root of the crisis that engulfs Old Trafford

- Peter Hall

WHO is to blame for the crisis at Old Trafford the owners, the hierarchy, a manager who has overseen Manchester United's worst start to the season for 61 years or a bunch of players unworthy of the shirt?

The only rational answer can be 'all of them' when considering a decline that seems so shocking and yet so obvious in equal measure. Owners the Glazers have been a blight on the club, there are serious questions for the executives to answer and an overpriced, overpaid playing squad must bear responsibility for their own rank performances on the pitch.

But as is often the case amid a crisis, one figure is singled out to carry the can, and in football, it is almost always the manager. For Erik ten Hag, the scrutiny he is under after United slumped to a fifth home defeat this season in midweek, their worst run since 1930, something he invited on himself from the moment he got a foot in the door.

Eight defeats from 15 matches, after spending more than £400million on squad improvements, would often lead to the sack, but given the sorry state of affairs at this once great club, rightly or wrongly, Ten Hag is clinging on to the hot seat for now.

Ahead of tomorrow's trip to Fulham, the club are adamant they are behind the Dutchman, but he cannot afford to keep losing games as he enters a run of fixtures that would usually be considered very winnable.

Pertinently, given United are in a state of flux with Sir Jim Ratcliffe waiting ratification to take a 25 per cent stake in the club and oversee football operations, those wielding the axe are just as vulnerable, if not more so.

Ratcliffe is very keen to oversee a structural overhaul, above the manager.