Chris Sutton believes Manchester United‘s biggest problem is their midfield and not their defence, with Ian Ladyman warning the club have been struck by an ‘uncertainty virus’.
United have endured a torrid start to the season, losing three of their first five Premier League games and suffering defeat in their Champions League opener to Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The Red Devils have a favourable run of fixtures coming up, starting with an away trip to Burnley this weekend before back-to-back home games against Crystal Palace and Brentford and a trip to Sheffield United.
Erik ten Hag‘s side look a shadow of their former selves having qualified for the Champions League after coming third in the Premier League last season.
Sutton, speaking on Mail Sport’s ‘It’s All Coming Up’, said issues in United’s midfield is to blame for their recent run of poor results.
Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton has explained the reason behind Manchester United’s terrible start to the new season
United have lost three of their opening five Premier League games and also suffered defeat in the Champions League on Wednesday
United lost 4-3 to Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener at the Allianz Arena
‘I think Manchester United’s problem area, and I say problem area, but the biggest issue Manchester United have is that midfield area,’ Sutton said. ‘I just do not think they have the legs and dynamism.
‘Look at other teams at the top of the table who do, and that’s their biggest issue. I think we discussed it on Monday, didn’t we? Manchester United really can only play counter-attack, and that’s their problem.’
United’s new goalkeeper Andre Onana, signed for £47million from Inter Milan in the summer, made a huge howler which gifted Bayern the lead at the Allianz Arena.
And Ladyman, Mail Sport’s Football Editor, said the error was symptomatic of the club’s malaise so far this season.
‘I watched the game last night, that was a schoolboy error,’ Ladyman said on It’s All Coming Up.
‘So what I think that shows more than any great kind of damning verdict on the goalkeeper Onana. I think it shows that this kind of this virus of uncertainty is starting to spread through that Manchester United team.
‘I mean last night you had Marcus Rashford playing well, you had Rasmus Hojlund playing well, but then you’ve got Lisandro Martinez who doesn’t look like the player that he was last season and now the goalkeepers… making mistakes.
‘That’s what I would worry about if I was Erik ten Hag – the fact that the confidence is draining out of that team.’
United looked open in midfield in the opening weeks of the season with new signing Mason Mount playing alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.
The formula looked unbalanced, however, and Christian Eriksen slotted in when Mount got injured before United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
The struggles have continued, however, even with Ten Hag employing a diamond system in midfield against Brighton at the weekend, with Eriksen and Scott McTominay playing in front of Casemiro and behind Fernandes.
Onana made a howler against Bayern on Wednesday as his error cost his side the first goal
United take on a Burnley side who are still looking for their first league win of the season
United will look to bounce back against Burnley on Saturday, but the pressure is already on and Sutton insisted they need to get three points to lift the doom and gloom surrounding Old Trafford.
‘I think this is a must win for Manchester United at the weekend,’ Sutton said. ‘More importantly, I think it’s a must win for Erik ten Hag because I think the faith among the Manchester United support will be dwindling with every loss, with every insipid performance.
‘Burnley seems to be an obvious opportunity for Manchester United to get their season back on the rails.
‘I think the draw would be a bad result for Ten Hag. Ten Hag needs this. I don’t think anybody expected them to beat Bayern Munich in fairness. And, you know, Onana had a nightmare.’
