Beleaguered Ten Hag needs away-day boost at Fulham

LONDON: So dire has Manchester United's home form been this season that perhaps the only saving grace as they prepare for the next match of a so-far torrid campaign is that it is away at Fulham.

Erik Ten Hag's stumbling United side were booed at halftime and full-time on Wednesday (Nov 1) as they surrendered the League Cup with a 3-0 home defeat by Newcastle United.

It was their second successive 3-0 home loss and they have lost five of their 10 home games in all competitions.

They are not exactly pulling up trees away from home either and fans will not have been fooled by narrow back-to-back victories at promoted sides Burnley and Sheffield United.

Fulham, in 14th place, will represent a far tougher assignment in Saturday's early kickoff than those two games even if Marco Silva's side have also struggled for consistency.

Eighth-placed United were savaged by the media, pundits and former players after Wednesday's capitulation with Sky Sports analyst Gary Neville at least showing some sympathy for Ten Hag.

"I don't know where he starts picking a side next, as none of them can really say they deserve to play," former United defender Neville told Sky Sports.

While the malaise at Manchester United is deep-rooted, Ten Hag appeared to have galvanised the squad last season, delivering the League Cup, for the first trophy since 2017 and a third-placed finish in the Premier League.

It is now looking like another false dawn for a club that has been in decline since former manager Alex Ferguson retired a decade ago.

Former Ajax coach Ten Hag sounded a defiant note after defeat by Newcastle and the majority of United fans still appear to be behind him, instead directing their ire on the structural failings that have eroded the club's