Erik ten Hag is being let down by Manchester United's £158m elephant in the room

Manchester United have had a week to forget with their glaring weaknesses highlighted at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

Erik ten Hag has work to do after a meek win over Wolves failed to paper over the cracks. Well, Spurs ensured those frailties were duly exposed with a 2-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Most of the narrative since Monday has been about the balance of United's midfield. Is Mason Mount a suitable fit to play alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro? It's early days but the jury is out.

Against Spurs, they were overrun, with the athleticism of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, in particular, dominant. United looked soft and leggy, by comparison, with big holes on offer for the opposition to exploit.

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And yet, United could and should've changed the narrative before Sarr netted from close range. They had their chances and competed in the first half before their standards dropped after the break.

Ten Hag can be scrutinised over the balance of his midfield. He can be judged for his transfer decisions, with around £400million spent across three windows.

There is no doubt that he is being let down by his forwards, in particular his wingers. He has placed faith in Antony and Alejandro Garnacho at the start of the season, which hasn't been afforded to Jadon Sancho, and they haven't repaid him.

With United struggling for goals, the wide men haven't stepped up, Marcus Rashford aside. It was poor planning for United to start the season