‘He is taking them backwards’ – Tim Sherwood reveals major reason for Manchester United’s struggles this season

Pundit Tim Sherwood insists Manchester United have not made any visible progress this season under Erik ten Hag’s management.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur manager claims the team has regressed and lack clear identity, as Ten Hag is unsure of a style of play.

“I think the manager is taking them backwards, I really do. I think last year he was great, a trophy and another cup final, into the Champions League, you can’t argue it, but you expect progression every single year,” Tim Sherwood told Premier League Productions.

“You expect at least an identity of how they want to play, now the identity of how he wanted to play at Ajax, trying to transform that, to translate that to the Premier League, it doesn’t travel, it doesn’t move that well, we never see anyone coming here from the Eredivisie to the Premier League and doing well, it doesn’t, you have to change the page, he has to flick it over, you have to have more penetration.

“It’s a lot of keeping the ball, it’s very boring to watch, it’s not Manchester United, they need to get back to that very, very quick otherwise…

“It [United’s win over Brentford] papered over the cracks, and if he was under pressure if they should have lost that game, he should be under pressure now because that’s a fluke that they come out of that.

“He’s not a good manager because McTominay scores two injury-time goals, it doesn’t make him a good or bad manager, if they would have made their decision to get rid of Ten Hag if they didn’t win that football match, they should still get rid of him.

“I don’t like managers losing their jobs but he has to show progression, he has to show the club is moving forward, at the moment it’s moving but it’s going backwards.”

United have endured a poor start to the new season with six defeats from 11 games in all competitions so far.