Manchester United faced a crushing 4-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace in the Premier League, marking a new low in what has been a challenging season for the club. The loss has intensified the pressure on a team that is currently struggling to find its form.
Despite the scoreline, Crystal Palace could have scored even more goals if they had been more clinical in front of the net. This defeat stands as the heaviest for Manchester United in what has been a disappointing season so far.
Manchester United, a 20-time league champion, now finds itself in eighth place in the Premier League table, a position that the club has never finished below in the Premier League era. The team has also conceded a total of 81 goals across all competitions this season, marking their highest number of goals conceded in a single season since the 1976-77 campaign.
United's manager, Erik ten Hag, expressed his disappointment in the team's performance, stating that they should have done better given the circumstances. He acknowledged that the defeat was well-deserved and fell short of the team's expectations.
This latest setback adds to a series of inconsistent performances by Manchester United throughout the season. The club, once a dominant force in domestic and European soccer under Alex Ferguson, has struggled to maintain its previous level of success since Ferguson's retirement in 2013.
The current manager is facing increasing pressure as one of several managerial appointments post-Ferguson that have failed to deliver the desired results. The ownership changes within the club this season have further intensified the scrutiny on the team's performance.
Former Liverpool player and pundit Jamie Carragher criticized Manchester United's coaching, labeling them as 'one of the most poorly coached teams in the Premier League.' He pointed out the team's defensive struggles, highlighting their position at the bottom of the league defensively.
