One major problem continues to plague Erik ten Hag at Manchester United : winning big away games.
The Dutchman enjoyed a fine maiden year at the helm, ending United’s five-year trophy drought and securing Champions League qualification, but he’s been under significant pressure this season. Even during his honeymoon period, though, Ten Hag was unable to mastermind a victory on the road against the Premier League ‘s big guns.
They have collected just two points away from home against clubs inside the Premier League’s top-eight since the start of last season. That’s two measly points from 11 matches.
And if that doesn’t paint a damning enough picture, then things get even worse when you take into account that the last Manchester United team to win a big game away from home actually had a completely different manager.
It’s been over two years since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer guided United to a memorable win at Tottenham. Solskjaer is now long gone, but Ten Hag has failed to emulate that feat against the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool during his reign.
Even matches against some of the teams who have only just established themselves in the upper echelons of the Premier League such as Brighton and Aston Villa have proven to be beyond United, whose away day woes already look likely to impede Ten Hag’s hopes of building on a promising debut campaign.
Ten Hag himself is under no illusions about United’s poor away record: he knows it must improve. He admitted as much after another opportunity to make amends on the road passed them by on Saturday night against Newcastle.
