Brittle Man United had to drag themselves back yet AGAIN… Erik ten Hag keeps giving reasons for him not to be part of the club’s future, writes CHRIS WHEELER

Nothing is easy for Manchester United at the moment. Not holding on to a three-goal lead against Coventry City, nor even beating a Sheffield United team on course for relegation back to the Championship.

Three days after their Wembley swings almost cost Erik ten Hag’s side a place in the FA Cup final, they were at it again last night. Twice they fell behind a club seven points behind at the foot of the table with the worst defensive record in Premier League history.

Where would they be without Bruno Fernandes? The United captain made it 2-2 and then scored the decisive goal in the 81st minute before setting up a fourth for Rasmus Hojlund.

That’s eight goals in the last eight games for a man who has been an ever-present at United, while everyone around him was dropping like flies. Incredibly, Fernandes has not missed a game due to injury for the club during an Old Trafford career spanning more than four years.

But he can’t keep doing it alone. His heroics covered the cracks in another shaky United performance against a team that could hardly be described as fantastic. When he scored his first goal from the spot just after the hour, the Blades broke Derby’s record of 89 goals in a 38-match Premier League season.

Sheffield United took a surprise lead at Old Trafford as Bogle fired the visitors into an early lead

Man United centre-back Harry Maguire leveled the home side with a superb header

Man United captain Bruno Fernandes (centre) scratches his head after Sheffield United’s second goal

Ben Brereton Diaz (left) fired the Blades back in front with a well-taken finish in the second half

“We have put ourselves in a position where it is difficult to win games, but it also shows a bit of character,” Fernandes said.

‘We also have to be aware that if we control the game like we did in the first half, we have to score our chances.

‘I’m very happy to score, but I want to win more games than score goals. Lately we haven’t won as much as we should have. As a Manchester United player you have to win games.’

This was United’s first in five league games. No team is too bad for them right now. No challenge too easy for Ten Hag. The sight of Jason Wilcox, here at Old Trafford for the first time since being appointed technical director on Friday, discussing tactics with Sir Dave Brailsford in the director’s box should be a concern for the Dutchman.

The pieces are falling into place for Ineos and Ten Hag continues to give his employers plenty of reasons to decide he will not be part of their plans.

For United – Manchester that is – this was the ideal match to deal with the trauma of throwing away a three-goal lead against Coventry at the weekend and surviving a penalty shootout to reach the cup final against Manchester City next month.

Instead, they failed to put Sheffield United away despite creating a string of chances. Much of the credit goes to goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, who converted Diogo Dalot’s effort at full speed after 28 seconds and only got better from there.

The key saves in the first half were three one-handed blocks to keep out attempts from Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony.

Fernandes brought United back on level terms with a well-taken penalty in the second half

Fernandes put United ahead for the first time late in the match with his second goal of the evening

Andre Onana was largely redundant at the other end, but a mistake from the United keeper led to a goal in the 35th minute when Jayden Fogle intercepted his wayward pass to Dalot and beat him at his near post.

“How s*** do you have to be, we’re winning away,” the visiting fans sang as they sensed just a second league victory on the road this season.

Harry Maguire finally found a way past Foderingham to equalize against his old club in the 42nd minute, tapping a header into the far post from Garnacho’s cross.

But United fell behind again five minutes after the break to another mistake when Dalot was guilty of losing the ball close to his own penalty area and Ben Osborn pulled the ball back unmarked for Ben Brereton Diaz to convert from close range.

“We cannot keep making these kinds of mistakes,” Ten Hag said. ‘If you want to achieve your goals at the highest level, if you want to win trophies, you have to stop this process. You make your life easier if you don’t make mistakes.’

Step forward Fernandes, once again. When Auston held Trusty Maguire at a corner and the United defender needed no further encouragement to go down, his captain scored from the spot.

United striker Rasmus Hojlund fired home the fourth goal of the evening as Sheffield collapsed

Hojlund’s late goal secured all three league points for United at Old Trafford on Wednesday

Man United manager Erik ten Hag tells his players to calm down as Sheffield United threatens to score again

Then in the 81st minute he received the ball 20 yards from goal and fired a beautiful shot into Foderingham’s left post.

However, victory was never assured with this United team and it felt like they needed a fourth goal. Fernandes set things up when he guided the ball across the six-yard box for Hojlund to score his first goal since mid-February.

‘I don’t agree with the narrative that Man Utd are not a good team; you have world-class players all over the park,” said Blades boss Chris Wilder.

‘We have to rebuild a team to be successful. It will be a tough and intense summer, and we have to do it well.’