Erik ten Hag only has one way to fix Manchester United 'belief' problem he's identified

At least this time there was no running for Manchester United's beaten and beleaguered players. Having been told to run almost 13kms each in the aftermath of the thrashing by Brentford, they were excused any such punishment after derby day.

The schedule doesn't really allow for that kind of approach now United are playing twice a week until the World Cup, but Erik ten Hag had identified a different problem anyway. If part of the issue at Brentford in mid-August were down to a lack of effort, the humbling at the Etihad was down to a lack of belief. That can't be fixed by getting the squad to do laps of Carrington.

United have now been 4-0 down at half-time twice in their first seven Premier League games of the season so it's hardly surprising confidence is a little brittle. They've conceded four or more eight times in the last 37 league fixtures, a dismal record.

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"The punishment is a reason, they [Brentford] outrun us and we didn't work hard enough, [Sunday] is also mental but it's a different mental issue, it's like belief," said Ten Hag.

"It's not always about punishment, of course, we have to criticise each other, so I didn't get the message right to the players, the belief to the pitch, our way of playing. That's disappointing, it's good it happens against City and you get quite clear when you don't bring it."

It had looked like Ten Hag had begun to restore the belief to his squad. He abandoned some of his core principles after the defeat to Brentford and a more pragmatic approach produced four successive Premier League wins, even if the performances hadn't really looked like Ten Hag would probably want them to. It was baby steps.

The 52-year-old