Manchester United’s season has gone from bad to worse, with a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, September 29. Following their poor start to the campaign, a supercomputer has now predicted they will finish in the bottom half of the table.
The Red Devils seemed to have turned a corner, with convincing wins over Southampton (3-0) and Barnsley (7-0) but their momentum was halted by draws against Crystal Palace and FC Twente. Consequently, the clash against Spurs was crucial, as it offered Manchester United a chance to make a statement about their top-four ambitions.
However, their performance massively fell short, as Spurs took the lead within the first five minutes. Matters worsened when Bruno Fernandes was sent off around the half-hour mark, and the visitors capitalized with two more goals in the second half, sealing a comfortable 3-0 victory.
This defeat left United in 12th place, with just seven points from their six Premier League games and a goal difference of -3.
Manchester United fans will be hoping for better results, but a supercomputer analysis from Casino Hawks (via Mirror) predicts their form certainly won’t improve much. It forecasts United finishing 11th with only 52 points, which is eight points lesser than last season’s tally.
Meanwhile, the title race is predicted to be between Manchester City and Arsenal, with the supercomputer incredibly predicting that City will edge out Arsenal once again but by just one point this time.
Despite injuries to several key players, Pep Guardiola’s side are expected to finish with 93 points while Arsenal will end the season with 92.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are predicted to finish third with 85 points while Chelsea, who finished 12th and sixth in the previous seasons, are expected to complete the top four, nine points behind Liverpool.
Former Liverpool star questions Erik ten Hag’s future at Manchester United
Erik ten Hag certainly hasn’t done himself any favors since being backed by Manchester United’s revamped board last summer. Despite making several new signings to strengthen the squad, the side's performances have not improved.
Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes Ten Hag is a man under pressure and stated that both the club and the manager have hit ‘rock bottom.'
“It gets to a point where you almost feel sorry for the manager as well. He looks completely out of his depth, he looks like he’s struggling to motivate his team. Man Utd and Ten Hag are going backwards. You can’t complain anymore, he’s got his back four in place, he’s got all the players at his disposal - there’s no excuses. They are rock bottom right now,” Redknapp told Sky Sports (via Mirror).
The upcoming week will be critical for Ten Hag’s future. United will first travel to face Porto in a midweek Europa League clash, which will be followed by a clash against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday, October 6.