Erik ten Hag has changed Manchester United and must now fix his problems

The last time Old Trafford hosted Champions League football, it was a Manchester United side that felt unrecognisable to those inside a stadium famed for its iconic European nights.

Ralf Rangnick's rabble took their leave from the big stage with a whimper against Atletico Madrid on March 15, 2022. It looked a long way back for United then, until Erik ten Hag came in, raising standards and reshaping a culture that was, as the Dutchman described it last month, "no good".

But every United manager goes through a spell when things start to get difficult and right now Ten Hag is experiencing his first major blip. He had a clean slate last season, with minimal expectations and the ability to make the kind of decisions that would allow this team to start afresh.

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Now, he is under some pressure. Despite the boos that have greeted back-to-back defeats, the supporters remain with him and a major injury crisis can't be overlooked. But this is unmistakably his team in a way it wasn't a year ago and it is underperforming. Quite significantly underperforming.

This helter-skelter defeat to a fairly average Galatasaray side was the sixth defeat in 10 games this season and progression to the Champions League knockout stages now looks difficult. Just as difficult as getting back into the competition next season.

United have been teetering on the brink of crisis for a month and it now feels like they might be there. Lose to Brentford at home on Saturday and the badge will be cracked.

It's worth rewinding to that Atletico game to understand the scale of the change Ten Hag has overseen at Old Trafford. Only three of the