Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has set his squad a daunting task for the remainder of the season: win all their remaining Premier League games to have any chance of qualifying for the Champions League. However, given the team's recent performances and apparent lack of consistency, such a display of dominance seems unlikely.
United's collapses over the last week, conceding three goals in added time and dropping five points in the process, have highlighted the team's ongoing struggles. In 2024, no side in Europe's top five leagues has allowed more shots on their goal than United's 225 in 10 Premier League games. They have also given up more expected goals (21.56) in that time period than Arsenal have in the entire season (21.09).
"In this week we've dropped five points in stoppage time," said Ten Hag. "That's very expensive. The points are getting more expensive, games are running out. We know that, we have to catch up and we are now many points behind. It will be difficult but we will keep fighting."
Thursday's thrilling 4-3 defeat to Chelsea saw United fritter away a great chance in the top four race, leaving them nine points behind Tottenham in fifth with eight games to play. Ten Hag agreed that United need to win out to reach the Champions League, ominously adding: "That is also what we said before this match."
The United manager's insistence that his team deserved to win at Stamford Bridge rang hollow, as the visitors' lead deep into injury time was a baffling state of affairs given their repeated mistakes. Ten Hag's high-tempo, high-intensity style of play appears to be taking its toll on the squad, with players struggling to maintain the required physical and mental conditioning.
"We have to keep the ball longer, otherwise we are coming into a tennis match. When we want to watch a tennis match, we go to Wimbledon," Ten Hag said in March when asked if he still intended to turn United into the best transition team in the world. However, watching United in the early spring feels like watching a frantic tennis match, with the team's catalogue of individual errors and poor game management on full display.
Despite rallying from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead against Chelsea, United's defensive frailties and fatigue were evident. Casemiro, recently returned from a muscle injury, struggled to keep pace with Chelsea's attackers, while Diogo Dalot's lapses in concentration led to two late goals.
Ten Hag's formula embraces chaos, but his players are struggling to cope with the demands. The United manager appears unconcerned about the high number of shots opponents are having, believing that if his team can hold their nerve in difficult defensive moments and stay calm in important attacking ones, they should win more games than they lose. However, this approach comes with drawbacks, requiring a level of physical and mental conditioning that seems beyond several players in the squad.
As United face a challenging fixture list, starting with the visit of Liverpool to Old Trafford on Sunday, followed by games against Newcastle and Arsenal, their hopes of securing a top-four finish are fading. Ten Hag insists that his team has character and resilience, but their 17 losses in all competitions this season tell a different story.
The United manager's future beyond his second season is now in question, as his team's inconsistency and defensive frailties continue to undermine their progress. While their energy and character might be enough to achieve something special against Liverpool, repeating that feat in the six games that follow looks to be an impossibility.
As the Premier League season enters its final stages, Manchester United find themselves in a precarious position, with their chaotic style of play failing to deliver the desired results. Ten Hag's challenge to his squad to win every remaining game may prove to be a bridge too far, as the team's physical and mental fatigue threatens to derail their Champions League aspirations.
