Failures from front to back: Erik ten Hag is rocking again just 16 days into season

Here we come to a pertinent off‑field question as well. To witness the 20-year-old Toby Collyer being asked to replace the Brazilian at half-time for a Premier League debut is no calling card of the slick strategy the Ineos revolution is supposed to bring. If Collyer appeared lost, the greater issue is how United could enter this encounter with their fiercest rivals two days after the market closed with only one senior holding midfielder (Casemiro) eligible to play, after having all summer to fix the glaring hole in Ten Hag’s squad.