Erik ten Hag must do what he did after Brentford loss following Man United's latest humiliation

There doesn't need to be panic stations or yet another drawn-out inquest. A dreary death march.

Manchester United lost on Sunday. They lost big. But there's one reason why they lost: Manchester City are miles better than them. Arguments can be had as to why there is such a chasm between the two sides considering the roughly equal expenditure on players - that being complete mismanagement of United in nearly every aspect from the owners, including a lack of actual investment - but it couldn't be clearer how far away winning a Premier League title again is.

Everyone knows this. It was known when Erik ten Hag was hired and the expectations placed upon him were correctly set low as a result. No one said at all that United would be able to compete with their neighbours in the league, that wasn't the aim. Instead, steady progress, some decent football and, hopefully, a return to the Champions League were laid out as sensible objectives. Even they are not a guarantee and will take time to achieve. Patience.

Also read: A 1/10 and 2/10s: United player ratings vs City

What haunts United so much is that the strongest teams in England now are their direct rivals and it's such a slight on their pride when they're repeatedly on the wrong end of shellackings by them. If it wasn't the team they shared a city with, who for so long were the second club, handing out these drubbings then the emotional reaction may not be quite as strong.

City are streets ahead of not just United but pretty much every football club in the world. United are not the first and they will not be the last to be on the wrong end of an absolute hiding from them. It's important to take a step back and remain calm. It was obviously a humiliating result but it doesn't