United View: What is happening at Manchester United?

They say when it rains it pours and right now at Old Trafford the downfall is torrential. Not just because the stadium's roof is leaking onto match-going fans, but because results are simply not good enough.

United View: What is happening at Manchester United?

Following a dismal, rain-soaked Saturday afternoon defeat against Crystal Palace, Manchester United suffered another worrying defeat on an even wetter Tuesday evening, losing 3-2 to Galatasaray. The Reds find themselves in a significant slump, and it’s unlikely there will be a quick turnaround to their problems.

In the league, United have scored seven whilst conceding eleven and losing four games from seven, their worst start to a season since 1989. And now they’ve lost their opening two games in the Champions League for the first time ever.

There’s a severe lack of goals from the team right now with Marcus Rashford’s form taking a hit. Last season's top scorer has only scored once this campaign and without his contribution, the side is struggling.

Rasmus Hojlund has been impressive since his arrival and scored a brace against Galatasaray on Tuesday night, but he is still looking for his first goal in the Premier League.

This lack of goals is nothing new, as it was one of the criticisms from last season but to compensate for that United’s defence was formidable. But that ability to grind out results is no longer the case.

Injuries to Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez haven’t helped, with the Argentinian now out for a further three months after requiring surgery once again. His tenacity and composure on the ball was significant for last season’s success.

Shaw and Rashford developed a great relationship last season, with Shaw’s overlapping and underlapping runs creating space for the forward to flourish. His absence could correlate with Rashford’s drop in quality.

Sofyan Amrabat has been doing a job since his arrival, being asked to play at left-back as all other options are injured. It's commendable but this isn’t his game and was caught trailing for Galatasaray’s second goal on Tuesday.

Although injuries have been a factor, there is still no excuse. The squad they put out for both games had more than enough quality to be winning comfortably. Bear in mind that Palace was also missing several key players.

Erik Ten Hag remains positive, saying ‘We stick together, me directors, team, all together we will fight. We know we have to do better.’ He still has the backing of the fans, but there’s no denying that the pressure is starting to mount.

Some of the issues on the pitch need to be fixed by the manager, but I’m still adamant that the uncertainty around the club's future ownership is having a detrimental effect. And as things stand there is still no resolution in the near future.

After the game on Tuesday night, hundreds of Galatasaray fans were seen in the home stands of Old Trafford, meaning that home tickets were sold to away fans. It kind of sums up the club right now, valuing commercial income over the care of their fans.

So how do things improve in the short term? United simply have to start winning games. Whether that be with a blistering performance or a scrappy 1-0 win, the Reds can’t afford to continue on their current path.

United next take on Brentford at home on Saturday before the international break. A win is now absolutely crucial, lest they slip even further down the league table. Their opposition isn’t in the best of form, but they’ll know that United are vulnerable right now.

A win won’t change the mood completely; however, it will surely ease some of the pressure the club finds itself under. Although I feel United’s issues run a lot deeper.