Erik ten Hag was wrong about his Manchester United squad

Embarrassing away defeats are becoming an all too familiar story for Manchester United.

After being beaten up by the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City and Watford on the road last season, it has been the likes of Aston Villa, Brentford and Newcastle United who have thrown the punches this time around - and that is without even mentioning what happened against Manchester City and Liverpool.

Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle was a sixth away defeat in seven games against top-half teams this season, meaning United have a long way to go before they can even begin to think about being genuine title contenders again. Although the scoreline at St James' Park was not as harrowing as some in previous away defeats, the performance was just as bad.

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The Reds, just five weeks after beating Newcastle at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final to end their six-year wait for a trophy, decided to lie down and let the Magpies trample all over them. The home side, energised by the atmosphere generated by the best part of 50,000 Geordies, were up for the contest from the very first whistle. They understood the size of the occasion and the importance of three points in the race for a top-four finish.

United, on the other hand, seemingly did not understand its significance. They failed to lay so much as a glove on Newcastle and Nick Pope will not have earned an easier clean sheet all season.

The Reds, who looked disjointed and lost without Casemiro in midfield, were uninspiring throughout a sun-drenched afternoon on Tyneside, and had it not been for some wasteful Newcastle finishing they would have been kicking-off from the centre a lot more than twice.