Manchester United’s recent performances included two results that “were poorly received” by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team, according to a new report.
The Red Devils are 11 points behind Aston Villa in fourth place after Saturday’s results, and eight points behind fifth-placed Spurs after both teams recorded vital wins in the race for Champions League places. .
However, Erik ten Hag’s side were held to a draw by struggling Brentford on Saturday night, increasing pressure on the Dutchman’s position as manager.
Mason Mount’s 96th-minute goal looked certain to have secured a late victory for the visitors at the Gtech Community Stadium, but Kristoffer Ajer scored three minutes later to level things up again.
This followed a dismal performance from Man United over the 90 minutes as they were outplayed by a Brentford team who have been struggling all season.
Two of Manchester United’s latest performances have been “badly received” by Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Ratcliffe remains undecided about Erik ten Hag’s future as Red Devils coach
The statistics from Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Brentford are especially discouraging for the manager.
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The Telegraph Report That draw on Saturday was one of two performances that “went wrong” for Ratcliffe and his Ineos team, the other being their 2-1 home defeat to Fulham in February.
Against the Cottagers, Alex Iwobi scored a dramatic winner in added time, after a Harry Maguire volley appeared to have secured a point for the home side.
Ratcliffe took charge of football operations at Old Trafford that month as part of a £1.3bn deal to become part-owner of the club.
However, those two games in which Man United dropped points against west London clubs have left questions over ten Hag’s future as a manager.
England manager Gareth Southgate called speculation linking him with the job “completely disrespectful” to ten Hag, but there are plenty of other potential replacements this summer if Ratcliffe looks to turn things around.
Southgate joined a host of influential football figures at Sir Dave Brailsford’s 60th birthday dinner at a venue in London.
Brailsford occupies a key role alongside Ratcliffe at United in his role as sporting director of INEOS.
The statistics from Saturday’s match at Brentford are especially discouraging for the Dutch coach, who is fighting to keep his job.
While Brentford beat Manchester United 4-0 in the same match last season, during Ten Hag’s first weeks at the club, many pundits believe Saturday’s performance was significantly worse.
Thomas Frank’s Bees managed 84 touches in United’s penalty area, almost four times as many as their opponents, and the most by any Premier League team in almost four years.
Alex Iwobi scored the 97th-minute winner for visiting Fulham at Old Trafford in February.
Kristoffer Ajer scored nine minutes into stoppage time to draw Brentford level on Saturday.
Ten Hag’s team has been inconsistent and has faced 498 shots in the Premier League this season.
Brentford took 31 shots – more than they have managed in a single game for half a decade – and hit the woodwork four times, with Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo close to scoring for the hosts.
It highlights Man United’s inconsistency, having also beaten Liverpool in extra time to reach the FA Cup semi-final, and suggests that the team copes better in chaotic situations than in more controlled matches.
Manchester United have received 498 shots in the Premier League this season, 16 more than Manchester City and Arsenal combined.
They travel to another west London team, Chelsea, on Thursday night, before playing at home against league leaders Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.