Manchester United’s problems run too deep for any quick fix after shambolic Tottenham defeat

“Manchester United must improve in a number of areas, including passing, creating chances and defending.”

So reads a post from the club’s official Twitter account which, since it was published seven years ago, has become a symbol of the sudden descent into mediocrity during David Moyes’ ill-fated reign.

It encapsulates just how totally, thoroughly and comprehensively United - reigning Premier League champions, at the time - collapsed to the level of also-rans and after-thoughts.

No matter how bad the years that followed Moyes’ tenure were, no matter how lifeless things became under Louis van Gaal, no matter how toxic the atmosphere was under Jose Mourinho, that was always the nadir of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. Until now, perhaps.

The 6-1 home defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday was arguably United’s lowest point since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. It was certainly their worst performance, their most humiliating result and the lowest ebb of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s spell in charge to date.

“It's my worst day ever,” Solskjaer confessed. "It's very embarrassing. It hurt all the players, it hurts me as the manager.”

There is a great deal of sympathy for Solskjaer out there due to United’s struggles to support him in the transfer window over the past few weeks. For the third summer running, the spotlight has fallen sharply on executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and his role in the recruitment process.

Edinson Cavani and Alex Telles are expected to join Donny van de Beek as new signings before Monday’s 11pm deadline. Ousmane Dembele is an option at right wing but Jadon Sancho - United’s priority all summer long - appears likely to stay put in Dortmund.

The pursuit of Sancho has been so protracted and high-profile that, rightly or wrongly, anything less than him ending the window at Carrington holding a United shirt will be deemed a failure on Woodward’s part.

What is certain is that if Sancho stays at Dortmund, this will be the third major target that United have missed out since the turn of the year. All three - Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland - will be playing together in black and yellow. Given the relative standing of the two clubs, that does not reflect well on those charged with executing United’s transfer business.

But if Woodward is receiving his usual scrutiny, Solskjaer cannot escape blame either.

The blunt truth is that the players already at his disposal are good enough not to lose 6-1 at home to Tottenham, just as they are good enough to avoid a 3-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.

United should not have already conceded 11 goals after only three games, nor should they be nine points off the early pace-setters. A manager will always be judged by results and though Solskjaer secured a top-four finish last season, he did so with United’s joint second-lowest points total of the Premier League era. Another 66 points will probably not be enough this time. Improvement is required.

Solskjaer has time. He is well-liked and respected by the dressing room. Whatever happens, his good nature and legendary status as a player mean he is sure to retain the goodwill of the supporters.

Most importantly of all, there is no sense that his position is under any sort of threat. He has been here before - this precise time last year in fact, after a dismal defeat away to Newcastle before the October international break - and he survived.

But it is precisely that fact that Solskjaer has been in this position before which is so concerning. A year-and-a-half on from his appointment as permanent manager, it is difficult to say how he has improved as a manager or how he plans to achieve greater consistency in results.

Solskjaer’s advocates might argue he needs more consistency from his most important players and, even where money has been spent, individual performances have been underwhelming.

United spent £140m on Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James last year to mixed success. Wan-Bissaka has great strengths and some glaring limitations. James has faded to the fringes of the squad.

But Maguire, in particular, was talked up as a transformative signing who should safely guide United to a top-four finish. The most polite way to describe his United career to date would be as something of a ‘qualified success’, though even that feels like a stretch given Sunday’s display.

Bruno Fernandes’ much-anticipated arrival for a potential £68m was similarly heralded as another turning point and to be fair, he quickly solved United’s desperate lack of any creativity in possession.

Fernandes helped to break through the deep-lying defences that Solskjaer’s style had repeatedly struggled against but he is a risk-taker by nature, meaning he blows hot and cold. When it’s not his day, it is not United’s either. Against Tottenham, he was hooked at half time.

Both Maguire and Fernandes were supposed to take United to the next level, yet familiar issues remain. The grim truth may be that there is not one easy solution - not one signing or sacking - that will set this most complex of clubs on the right course.

Rebuild the squad at great expense in the transfer market and you are still left with a manager who is yet to prove his long-term suitability for the role.

Change the manager and you still have the club hierarchy responsible for implementing the structures and processes which are yet to succeed up to this point.

Replace the club hierarchy and you are still left with the ownership, who are the least likely of all to depart any time soon.

The problems run deep. There is no quick fix, no panacea, no single silver bullet. They are as total and as comprehensive as they were seven years ago, only with a few more things to add to the list.

United have to improve in a number of areas, including passing, creating chances, attacking set-pieces, breaking down low blocks, playing out from the back, balancing their midfield, scouting players, negotiating transfer fees, and - on Sunday’s evidence - defending. Especially defending.

Read more

Sky Sports issue apology after Graeme Souness labels Erik Lamela’s actions ‘very Latin' during Spurs victory over Manchester United

Marcus Rashford apologises to Manchester United fans after thrashing by Tottenham

Manchester United racing against clock to sign Ousmane Dembele as Jadon Sancho hopes fade