How to fix Man Utd: Drop Marcus Rashford, put Victor Lindelof at full-back, and find new leaders

Manchester United were labelled “sluggish”, “weak” and “embarrassing” after Galatasaray condemned them to their worst ever start to a Champions League campaign.

The Red Devils led twice at Old Trafford on Tuesday night courtesy of a brace from Rasmus Hojlund before eventually succumbing to a sixth loss in 10 matches that left them pointless in Group A, having lost their opening two Champions League games for the first time.

Speaking on TNT Sports after the game, Rio Ferdinand said the way his former side were “being cut open like a knife through butter” was “embarrassing”, claiming Erik ten Hag‘s team lacked leadership and organisation defensively.

Paul Scholes, Ferdinand’s former United teammate, added: “I don’t think Manchester United played that badly, but all the talk before the game was a lack of goals in the team. We disregarded the defensive side of the game. It is not good enough, they were all over the place.”

“[Victor] Lindelof and [Raphael] Varane were so soft and weak defensively, and we all know what the goalkeeper [Andre Onana] did as well,” Scholes continued, describing Varane’s display as “sluggish” and questioning his fitness.

As well as falling to their worst early season record in 37 years, the three goals United conceded on Tuesday evening took them to 18 in their opening 10 games in all competitions – their most at this stage of a campaign since 1966-67.

Tuesday’s result also brought Galatasaray’s first away goals in the Champions League since November 2015 and their first win on the road in the competition since March 2013.

On BBC Radio 5 Live, former England and Everton midfielder Izzy Christiansen described United as a “wounded animal”, while ex-Scotland winger Pat Nevin said: “You have a look at Manchester United and they have core players, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Victor Lindelof. You expect them to have really good games and they are not.

“They had plenty of chances to win that game, there was a period in that game they could have put it to bed – they are not killing it off.

“The classic example is when Rashford passed when he should have had a shot. I don’t believe the players believe in each other.”

What’s wrong with Man Utd?

“[He] has a bit of [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy in there,” was the high praise sung by Scholes for Hojlund following the Dane’s performance against the Turkish champions, as the 20-year-old became the youngest player to score in his first two Champions League appearances since Erling Haaland in 2019.

And it was United’s new front man who, in his post-match comments, succinctly summed up a problem that continues to plague Ten Hag’s side.

“We need to remember, we can’t [concede] goals right after we score,” Hojlund said. “We [have] had a few games now where they just score after we scored.

“So we need to go back and analyse that tomorrow and talk about it in the group, and of course it’s a tough period now, but we need to stick together and that’s the only way we can get out of this period.”

United held onto their leads for a total of 10 minutes on Tuesday.

A fortnight ago, twice they battled back into their Champions League opener in Munich, only to concede straight away again. In the Premier League, they have led for a grand total of 28 minutes at home so far this season.

There was another costly error made by Onana on Tuesday, when a weak pass out from the back forced Casemiro into a potentially goal-saving tackle that led to a Galatasaray penalty and the Brazilian’s second red card of the season.

Though Mauro Icardi put that spot-kick wide, he soon got the better of Onana with a low chip for the Turkish side’s third and decisive goal.

Despite another underwhelming performance, Ten Hag steadfastly stuck by his new goalkeeper – suggesting back-up shot-stopper Altay Bayindir would not be ousting Onana any time soon.

Meanwhile, ongoing injuries to personnel like Lisandro Martinez, as well as every one of the team’s senior left-backs, will be pointed to as further reasons for the team’s defensive fragility.

Individual mistakes will continue to happen, particularly in a side struggling to find form. Varane, Lindelof and Diogo Dalot were all at fault for Galatasaray’s three goals on Tuesday.

Yet in that three quarters of the backline that have started their last two games, the Red Devils still have a four-time Champions League winner, an experienced United centre-back (and the Premier League’s most accurate passer last season), and a capable full-back. England international and former club captain Harry Maguire presents another option off the bench.

Perhaps the greater problem, then, lies in what to do about their injury-hit left flank.

How can Ten Hag fix it?

In the continued absence of Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Sergio Reguilon, Sofyan Amrabat put together a promising performance as an inverted left-back in United’s Carabao Cup victory over Crystal Palace. However, the Moroccan midfielder has looked more out of his depth than at ease in that unfamiliar position during consecutive losses since then, being pulled out of place and turned around on several occasions.

The aging legs of current first-choice holding midfielder Casemiro have been crying out for cover from someone like Fiorentina loanee Amrabat all season. It might be time for Ten Hag to listen.

Shifting Lindelof to one of the full-back positions (he has more commonly shown he can play on the right, but also put in a shift on the left last week in the league cup), with Dalot on the other side and Maguire renewing his old centre-back partnership with Varane, would allow the United boss to deploy Amrabat in his preferred position at the base of the midfield, where his talents could be put to better use.

That move could also free fellow summer arrival Mason Mount to play a more attacking role in the side, helping to supply the likes of Hojlund with chances.

A more controversial call for Ten Hag to make – but one that is nevertheless receiving growing support from sections of the team’s fanbase – would be to bench Rashford.

That doesn’t mean forever. But with a young, energetic fan favourite like Alejandro Garnacho waiting on the sidelines, there could be worse moves than to opt for a temporary changes.

Despite providing the assist for Hojlund’s opening goal, Rashford’s lacklustre form has been a far cry from the highs of his free-scoring 2022-23 campaign. He has become increasingly shot-shy, a problem highlighted by his decision to look for a pass rather than shoot when through on goal with the scores level at 1-1.

Garnacho has matched Rashford’s goal tally this season with significantly fewer minutes – and while he could also play on the right wing, where fellow youngster Facundo Pellistri and an out-of-position Bruno Fernandes have recently covered in the absences of Jadon Sancho and Antony, his natural position is on the left.

Man Utd fixtures

With both Rashford and United devoid of form and, seemingly, confidence, Ten Hag could likely do worse than to place a little faith in a fiery and passionate youth.

Another potential worry for the under-fire United manager could be found in the post-match comments of Christian Eriksen, who described the team’s dressing room as “very quiet”.

It is inevitable that heads will drop, particularly with the woeful run the team are currently on. But it surely is part of the job for not just the manager, but also the squad’s on-field leaders to pick players up after another gutting defeat, rather than let negativity fester.

Which begs the question: just who is that leader in this United squad?