Erik ten Hag’s ruthless rule can turn around Manchester United’s season

At 25 minutes to seven on Saturday evening, Erik ten Hag strolled out of the Old Trafford tunnel and into the rain. The weather was a deterrent but dozens of avid Manchester United fans were still stationed either side of the barricades to provide a send-off.

Ten Hag did not break his stride, held his hand aloft appreciatively, paused to embrace a friend and clambered into his Audi 4X4. A quick getaway. United did not get away with it.

Last week exposed the fragility of a squad whose mentality had been seemingly repaired last season. United turned it on when Palace didn’t turn up in the League Cup tie at Old Trafford. When Palace turned up for the Premier League rematch, it was United who went missing.

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They have the same number of points after seven games as four years ago, when United entered the October international week with back pages detailing a possible early demise for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. As was United’s penchant under Solskjaer, they counter-attacked, giving chapter and verse on the infamous ‘cultural reset’. On Saturday evening, Gary Neville seriously prescribed a ‘cultural reset’ for United.

United figures have scoffed at the odd query about Ten Hag’s position made by colleagues. The terrain is not frozen for Ten Hag to be on thin ice and, like with Solskjaer in his first summer, United’s investment in the transfer market equates to unequivocal backing.

Predictable problems have already arisen, though. Macus Rashford's form has nosedived since he was furnished with a five-year, £325,000-a-week contract in July, having been United’s main source of goals last season.