THIN SQUAD, FAT CHANCE

FOR a man who has spent £400m in just 18 months, Erik ten Hag has few options as he tries to save Manchester United’s season.

- DAVID MCDONNELL

Sunday’s humiliating 3-0 derby defeat at home to Manchester City showed the huge chasm between United and Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners.

United’s players were abject and ordinarily Ten Hag would look to make sweeping changes for tonight’s Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle.

The problem for Ten Hag is that injuries and the unreliability of so many members of his squad mean he is struggling to shuffle his personnel.

While Andre Onana has struggled to convince after his £47m move, back-up keeper Altay Bayindir is relatively inexperienced at the highest level.

In defence, Ten Hag is still without first-choice full-backs Aaron WanBissaka and Luke Shaw plus Lisandro Martinez, arguably his best centre-back.