Is Erik ten Hag running out of time at Manchester United?

Things only get worse and worse for Erik ten Hag with each passing match in the Premier League. The labored 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at home, Old Trafford, really sees patience wear very thin as an increasingly vocal fanbase grasp their chance to have their say. Only three wins in eight matches played, it is a case of for how much longer?

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First Sign of a Fall The Dutchman took over the managerial role of Manchester United to bring its golden days back. The Red Devils were considered one of the sleeping giants in England, believing in better times after unstable years. In that respect, the early-period coach looked to head in the right direction with titles in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup. But while trophies can take some of the heat off, good soccer is what ultimately keeps a manager secure.

But with consecutive emphatic losses at Liverpool and now Tottenham in the last three games alone, one thing is crystal clear: somewhere along the line, something went horribly wrong. The trust that he enjoyed in the players on the pitch gets lost, and the style of football he tries to put in place is also not improving at all-minimal or no progress whatsoever. The early parts of the third season now feature so much harsher criticism: the team looks lost, and Ten Hag seems bereft of new ideas.

The game against Tottenham

Going down 3-0 at home is never acceptable, especially for the magnitude of Manchester United. The more worrying thing, though, is how the team fared throughout the game. From the very first whistle, Spurs were in control, really able to set the tempo and force those crucial errors from the Red Devils' backline.

Then in less than two, defender Micky van de Ven sliced through United's defense like it was a Sunday training session as Brennan Johnson put visitors ahead - this was just the beginning of a painful long afternoon for United fans inside Old Trafford.

A Bruno Fernandes red card in the first half sealed the fate of the game as United's already-under-scrutiny-for-on-field-captaincy captain lost his temper and put his side in a position whereby the game would be impossible to retrieve. Not even the tactical changes that included Casemiro and Mason Mount coming on, just didn't get the rhythm of the team right. Goals from Kulusevski and Solanke confirmed the complete dominance of Tottenham.

Ten Hag feels the heat

Ten Hag is under pressure. When asked about the possibility of being sacked after yet another defeat, Ten Hag appeared calm. "I’m not thinking about that," the coach said, insisting that the work is still in progress and that “everyone’s in the same boat.” The Dutchman is right about one thing: his project is, in fact, a long-term one. However, modern soccer is ruthless, and time becomes a scarce resource when results don’t come. 

The next two weeks, Ten Hag would promise, are shaping up to be defining, with big matches up ahead like the Champions League match against Porto and the Premier League match against Aston Villa. Manchester United can ill afford taking any more flights. Certainly, another defeat may well provoke his sacking, especially with the team continuing to act lifeless in a structureless soccer end. 

The only thing crystal clear is that Erik ten Hag needs to make sure the results will come right now. No more mistakes or "new days," with which the coach usually likes to describe the day after defeats. Now, every match is a final for him, and the safety of his position is directly related to the behavior of Manchester United in the next games. The pressure will be on, and thus Ten Hag has to show he can turn it around before it's too late.