Weak mentality, low quality, overpaid, selfish players… Man United have major problems but they shouldn’t sack Erik ten Hag

Writing an exclusive column for talkSPORT.com, Mark Goldbridge explains why Erik ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes are not Manchester United's biggest issues right now.

When you look at the Manchester derby at the weekend, it is very easy to say that Manchester City deserved to win. I think up until the penalty, which I don't want to make excuses about, United were in the game.

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But you did that get the feeling that, at some point, City would take the lead and take control, which is what they did.

There is obviously a huge difference between the two clubs at the moment, on and off the pitch.

Manchester City are going for titles and Manchester United deserve to be where they are, which is mid-table.

I think Andre Onana had a reasonable game in goal, I do feel for people like Rasmus Hojlund, who was a bit unlucky to give a penalty away.

With very little service, he must look at Erling Haaland and think 'if only I had half of that creativity around me'.

But overall it was a shocking display from a Manchester United side at Old Trafford and not for the first time.

Newcastle loss worse than derby defeat

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I have got to say, the Newcastle loss in the Carabao Cup is probably more disappointing that losing the derby. No one wants to lose a derby but it was probably expected.

I think with Newcastle putting out their B-side and Ten Hag making changes - which was the right thing to do after so many disappointing performances in the derby - but those replacements to come in replicate the same effort as the team against City... I just think there is something inherently wrong in that dressing room.

My feeling is that the players are letting the fans down, they are letting the club down.

I cannot understand why they are shooting from the edge of the box all the time, I cannot understand why they cannot string two or three passes together.

People will say that is on the manager, I really disagree. Having played, coached and watched, stringing together two or three passes is not beyond a Championship side.

And why United players cannot do it is because I think they are selfish.

They have sacked managers before and I was very disappointed.

Whether Erik ten Hag gets the sack or not is by the by, but to put these performances in year in, year out, is not a new thing.

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It happens all the time, a lot of these players have sacked three or four managers now.

I saw it under Jose Mourinho, one of the best managers that has ever been. Players are not responding.

Weak mentality, low quality, overpaid, selfish players that don't play for the shirt and I think the fans have had enough of it.

Ten Hag got it right vs Newcastle

I was relatively happy with the starting line-up, I think the changes were right, it was a new midfield, the front three as well.

There was a good energy in the first 20 minutes but I think the turning point was Hannibal Mejbri got booked and could have got a second yellow.

Then we lost control of the midfield because he didn't want to put a tackle in, Mason Mount just looks…

I like Mount but I don't know why we bought him. The first goal, he is the invisible man, Mejbri can't make a tackle, Diogo Dalot is in a bad position, you're 1-0 down.

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And the second and third goals was just lazy defending. We created nothing as well. To find a standout player would be very, very difficult.

It was overall, shocking from Manchester United and a thoroughly deserved win for Newcastle.

Fernandes not to blame

I think the criticism of Bruno Fernandes from ex-players and the media is the typical reaction after a bad result, we are all capable of doing it.

You are feeling frustrated and you are looking for someone to blame.

My angle on this is that it has been going on for years at United and individualising any problem is naive and almost like throwing your toys out of the pram.

If you replace Bruno Fernandes as captain like we did against Newcastle because he didn't play, then Casemiro takes the armband.

Then he goes off injured, then Victor Lindelof becomes captaincy. If Raphael Varane is fit, he might have been the captain.

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There isn't a captain at Manchester United. It is like saying let's get rid of Marcus Rashford - who plays in his place?

Bruno Fernandes came on and actually showed why he needs to play. He might have limitations over consistency and be a bit petulant.

But he definitely cares, he will play anywhere, right-back, goalkeeper, and as much as you'd expect every United player to do that, it is quite a rarity nowadays.

Fernandes is the least of our problems. The fact he is a bit petulant is just not an issue for Manchester United.

The big issue, as well, is if you want to replace Fernandes as captain, please tell me who replaces him.

If I hear the name Harry Maguire, I think I'll cry. Absolutely not. Marcus Rashford? No. Luke Shaw's not fit.

Bruno is the best option at the moment which probably says a lot about the leadership issues at Manchester United.

Ten Hag transfers not good enough

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Erik ten Hag is under serious pressure at the moment - if you're Manchester United manager and you are losing games you have to be under pressure.

I think there is a lot of reaction to Ten Hag that is a little bit hysterical, I appreciate that most people in the media do not support Manchester United and therefore won't take their time to do their research on the wider issues.

Erik ten Hag has spent a lot of money but I suppose my instant comeback to that is that any United fan would have honestly said that this team needs at least half a billion to get anywhere near City and Liverpool.

Spending £400million doesn't bother me but you have to scrutinise the players who have been bought.

I think the Mason Mount one confused me. I don't know where he fits in. He can't play as a No. 8, we saw that against Newcastle and he can't defend.

And then you have Bruno Fernandes as our No. 10 so why are we spending £55m and giving him the No. 7 shirt to Mason Mount?

I like Antony but we overpaid a lot. I think if we spent what he is actually worth, around £50m, then there would be a lot less pressure on him. We overpaid on Antony.

I think the third one is Onana, because I look at the game against Newcastle and David de Gea probably would have saved one of those.

You talk about leaders, if Bruno is not the captain, you give it to De Gea. So you've lost a leader for free.

Ten Hag victim of witch hunt

I think the biggest problem with the Ten Hag Out movement is that we haven't had a sacking yet in the Premier League and everyone is thirsty for blood.

Ten Hag is the juiciest fruit in the shop because United is big news and United are losing games, I think there is a bit of a pile-on.

When you look it, you have to say in year one he overachieved, third place, took us to two cup finals and won one of those.

Year two has been dreadful but there have been loads of injuries, loads of problems with the team and you look at someone like Mikel Arteta who in his first two years finished eighth and then fifth.

Look what time has done and look at Sir Alex at his first few years at United.

I don't think it would be fair to sack Ten Hag when his whole back-six are injured or have left and you have got to stick with it.

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My concern is have the players given up, because they gave up on Ralf Rangnick, they gave up on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and they gave up on Jose.

If the players have downed tools then Ten Hag will get sacked and that is the bigger issue to me, as a fan.

How many chances have we given to Marcus Rashford? Anthony Martial? Harry Maguire? The list goes on and how many managers have been sacked after giving them these chances?

Maybe it is time we looked at those people who have had way more chances than any manager has had.

Sacking Ten Hag, you'd probably end up with Steve McClaren and Darren Fletcher. What a dream team that is.

Manchester United are where they are for a multitude of reasons.

There is no quick fix and I don't think we have hit the bottom of the barrel yet.

Things will get worse and when United fans wake up and realise that, we will stop trying to sack a manager and start looking at the bigger picture.