Chris Sutton believes Manchester United’s biggest problem is their midfield and not their defence. Ian Ladyman warns the club has been hit by an ‘insecurity virus’.
United have had a torrid start to the season, losing three of their first five Premier League games and suffering defeat in the Champions League opener to Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
The Red Devils have a favorable run of games ahead of them, starting with an away game against Burnley this weekend, followed by back-to-back home games against Crystal Palace and Brentford and an away trip to Sheffield United.
Erik ten Hag’s side look a shadow of their former selves after qualifying for the Champions League after finishing third in the Premier League last season.
Speaking on Mail Sport’s ‘It’s All Coming Up’, Sutton said problems in United’s midfield are to blame for their recent string of poor results.
Mail Sport’s Chris Sutton has explained the reason behind Manchester United’s terrible start to the new season
United lost three of their first five Premier League games and also suffered a 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 it’s a problem area for Manchester United, and I say a problem area, but the biggest problem for Manchester United is the midfield,” Sutton said. ‘I just don’t think they have the legs and the momentum.
‘Look at other teams at the top of the table who do that and that’s their biggest problem. I think we talked about it on Monday, right? Manchester United can only really play on the counter-attack, and that is their problem.’
United’s new goalkeeper Andre Onana, who signed for £47m from Inter Milan this summer, produced a huge howler to give Bayern the lead at the Allianz Arena.
And Ladyman, Mail Sport’s football editor, said the mistake was symptomatic of the club’s malaise so far this season.
“I saw the match last night, that was a schoolboy mistake,” Ladyman said on It’s All Coming Up.
‘So as far as I’m concerned, this shows more than any damning judgment about goalkeeper Onana. I think it shows that this kind of insecurity virus 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 have Lisandro Martinez who doesn’t look like the player he was last season and now the goalkeepers… those mistakes to make.
“That’s what I would worry about if I were Erik ten Hag: the fact that confidence is draining from 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.
However, the format seemed unbalanced and Christian Eriksen intervened when Mount was injured before United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest.
However, the battle continued even when Ten Hag deployed a diamond system in midfield against Brighton last weekend, with Eriksen and Scott McTominay playing in front of Casemiro and behind Fernandes.
Onana caused a riot against Bayern on Wednesday when his mistake cost his side their first goal
United take on Burnley 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 three points to lift the doom and gloom surrounding Old Trafford.
“I think this is a must win for Manchester United this weekend,” said Sutton. ‘More importantly, I think it’s a must win for Erik ten Hag, because I think confidence among Manchester United supporters will erode with every defeat and every insipid performance.
‘Burnley seems an obvious opportunity for Manchester United to get the season back on track.
‘I think the draw would be a bad result for Ten Hag. Ten Hag needs this. I don’t think anyone expected them to beat Bayern Munich in all honesty. And you know, Onana had a nightmare.’