Erik ten Hag blamed the players and not the plan after Manchester United’s calamitous 4-0 defeat at Brentford. United are already in full-blown crisis mode after finding themselves four down at half-time through a mixture of defensive ineptitude and Brentford opportunism.
Goalkeeper David De Gea gifted the first two to Josh Dasilva and Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee helped himself to a third and Bryan Mbeumo hit a slick fourth on a chastening afternoon for the visitors.
The defeat means Ten Hag is the first manager to lose each of his first two games in charge of Manchester United since John Chapman, in 1921.
It also left United bottom of the top flight for the first time in more than three decades and Ten Hag questioning the hunger of his players. “For one, Brentford were more hungry, and two, we conceded goals with individual mistakes,” said Ten Hag. “You can have a good plan, but then you put the plan in the bin. “I think it’s nothing to do with tactics.