Manchester United have more pressing problems at Old Trafford than building a new stadium

Manchester City have done it and Liverpool have done it twice, although one of those hardly mattered. Arsenal didn't do it but Brighton and Bournemouth did, as did Galatasaray and Newcastle.

What links those clubs? Scoring three goals against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the previous year. Seven times it has happened since Brighton became the first to do so on September 16, 2023.

It could have happened earlier than that. Nottingham Forest scored twice in the first four minutes there on August 26, 2023, but didn't add to their tally. They join Aston Villa, Tottenham, Fulham, Liverpool (again), Sheffield United and Newcastle (again) as teams to score twice at Old Trafford since the start of last season.

ALSO READ: Erik ten Hag's United fate could already rest on two factors

ALSO READ: Slot exposed Ten Hag in 60 seconds during Liverpool win

A stadium that was once almost impenetrable is now as big a challenge for the team that plays in it every week as it is for the opposition. In all competitions since the start of last season, United have now 14 at Old Trafford and lost 10, with three games drawn. They have scored 42 times and conceded 40.

That is about as average as it gets. While Sir Jim Ratcliffe waits on his Old Trafford task force to deliver their finding on the feasibility of building a new stadium, he could do with establishing another committee to find out why a ground that can hold more than 74,000 fans is suddenly so easy to play in.

Only four of those 17 United victories have been by more than one goal and one of those was against a weakened Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup. Palace returned five days later and won the Premier League fixture between the two teams.

Successful teams usually lay the