Paul Scholes name-drops one player as Man Utd icon points blame for Tottenham humiliation

Paul Scholes has made no secret of his stance that Erik ten Hag was to blame for Manchester United’s humiliation against Tottenham on Sunday. Boos rang out at Old Trafford after the 3-0 drubbing that could’ve easily been twice as bad if not for heroics from Andre Onana and Timo Werner being Timo Werner.

There have been a handful of subterranean lows during Ten Hag’s reign, which he has masked with two overwhelming highs in Carabao Cup and FA Cup glory.

But not many, if any, felt as hopeless as when the curtains closed on a cold, wet and miserable evening for the hosts in M16. The curtains could soon close on the Ten Hag era for good.

United displayed promising signs of improvement across their opening games of the new campaign, yet wins have been hard to come by.

It felt like last season when FC Twente and Spurs visited Old Trafford in the last five days, though, with habits on show that aren’t being solved.

Ten Hag has often been criticised for his side looking like one of the most tactically incompetent in the Premier League since the start of last term.

Scholes echoed those concerns after full-time on Sunday, highlighting new £50million midfielder Manuel Ugarte as a worrying example.

“They look uncoached, some of the positions they take, Ugarte, for example, must be difficult for a new player. He’s sometimes on the right or popping up on the left,” the United icon explained.

He added: “Players looked dead today, they looked flat. They don’t know what they want.

“It’s just madness the positions they sometimes take on the pitch. That’s where Man Utd are, and it’s difficult to watch.

“Teams have come to Old Trafford and looked better coached and today was no different.”

United supporters are increasingly losing patience with Ten Hag, who has overseen just six wins in the last 20 Premier League games.

The Red Devils’ dire form has leaked into Europe, winning just once in their last nine outings in the Champions League and Europa League.

Ten Hag will once again view the domestic cups as a potential means to save face this season.

United have been handed a favourable path to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, beating League One Barnsley at Old Trafford in the third round, with Leicester City to visit in the last 16.

But the Dutchman likely won’t get the opportunity to reach the end of another cup run if his side seems set for mediocrity in the competitions that matter that little bit more.