Arsenal have shown Erik ten Hag the size of the challenge facing him at Manchester United

You’re never too far away from a reminder of just how far Manchester United have fallen in recent times. For the fans, that even includes when their side aren’t playing.

Plenty of supporters would no doubt have been tuning in at Saturday lunchtime, finding themselves in the strange position of hoping Steven Gerrard could do them a favour. On the face of it, there was always a chance his Aston Villa side could help them out by getting a result over Arsenal – after all, they’ve taken four points off United this season.

There was to be no such luck for United. Bukayo Saka’s first-half goal proved enough to hand the Gunners victory as they succeeded where United had failed in protecting their lead at Villa Park. In so many ways, that 2-2 draw for Ralf Rangnick’s side back in January has felt like a pivotal moment in their season. Having taken a 2-0 lead, United could – and should – have closed things out.

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Just a couple of months later, there’s another uncomfortable reminder of United's failures this season. For Arsenal, a side who have been so infamously brittle in recent years, to be able to close a game out and protect a 1-0 lead, demonstrated how they’ve developed under Mikel Arteta, and highlighted United’s own frailties.

Throughout this campaign, United have looked fragile in defence. We all know about Harry Maguire’s problems this season, but he is far from the only issue they have right now. They’re in desperate need of a dynamic right-back, the options beyond Raphael Varane at centre-back aren’t at the level they should be, and that’s before you get into the players sitting just in front of the back four.

Nothing summed up their problems