Substitutes Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial fired Manchester United to a 3-2 Europa League victory against Omonia Nicosia.

The hosts took the lead after 34 minutes in Cyprus on Thursday when a quick counter-attack ended with Karim Ansarifard rifling into the roof of the net.

But Erik ten Hag rang the changes for the second half and Rashford helped himself to a double either side of a Martial strike to give the Red Devils all three points, with Nikolas Panagiotou scoring a late consolation.

United have now won six of their last seven Europa League away games and remain second in Group E, three points behind leaders Real Sociedad.

Cristiano Ronaldo came close to scoring his 700th club goal with a fierce drive in the first half and Bruno Fernandes hit the crossbar. Fabiano made a great stop to tip Antony's effort wide at full stretch, before Omonia punished United for their profligacy.

Tyrell Malacia was caught in possession and the hosts steamed forward on the break. Bruno perfectly played in Ansarifard, who fired past David de Gea.

Rashford was introduced at half-time and levelled for United within eight minutes of coming on, latching onto a sublime Fernandes diagonal before cutting onto his right foot and smashing home.

Martial put the visitors in front just a minute after making his way onto the pitch, as a clever Rashford flick teed him up to lash into the bottom corner.

Ronaldo hit the woodwork late on, but provided an assist as his cross-shot picked out Rashford at the back post to tap in for his second.

Omonia grabbed a goal back through Panagiotou, but United saw the game out to earn an important victory.

Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag insists the fact he has overlooked Cristiano Ronaldo in recent matches is not indicative of the forward's future.

Ronaldo remained on the bench in United's harrowing 6-3 defeat to rivals Manchester City on Sunday, with Ten Hag stating after the match he did not bring him on out of "respect" to the player.

The attacker was widely reported to be pushing for an exit from the club during the recent transfer window and, while that did not materialise, recent reports suggest an exit in January is on the cards.

However, ahead of Thursday's Europa League clash against Omonia Nicosia, Ten Hag made it clear that Ronaldo's absence from the side is not an indication that his future lies away from Old Trafford.

"I can't see that relation, that he's not coming on when we're 4-0 down, 5-1 down, 6-1 down and I don't bring him on out of respect," he said.

"It's nothing to do with what is happening in the future, what is happening in January or next year.

"I don't see him as unhappy, he's happy. He's training well, everyone is training well. There's a good spirit.

"He's not happy that he didn't play Sunday, don't get me wrong, but the question was about his mood in training, where he's happy.

"Of course, he wants to play and he's p***** off when he's not playing.

"When you are here, when you are happy, satisfied on the bench, this is not the club you have to be.

"Cristiano is really competitive - he is not happy when he is not playing, but I have to repeat, maybe you didn't hear, he is training well, he is in a good mood, he is motivated.

"He gives his best and that is what we expect."

Ten Hag also outlined what he expects from his attacking players, who he expects to contribute both offensively and defensively in his set-up.

He said: "Everyone knows what you expect from strikers - first production, second is defend, 11 defend, 11 attack, so everyone has to contribute."

Erik ten Hag decided not to introduce Cristiano Ronaldo in Manchester United's 6-3 derby thrashing by Manchester City as a mark of "respect" towards the forward.

Ronaldo was an unused substitute as hat-tricks from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden handed City a dominant derby win on Sunday, despite Ten Hag using all five of his permitted changes.

Anthony Martial scored twice after his second-half introduction to salvage a touch of pride for United, while Victor Lindelof, Fred, Casemiro and Luke Shaw also appeared from the bench.

Having failed in an apparent bid to leave Old Trafford in the recent transfer window, Ronaldo has been a peripheral figure under Ten Hag, making one Premier League start this season – in a 4-0 defeat to Brentford.

Speaking at a post-match news conference, Ten Hag explained his rationale for failing to call upon the 37-year-old, saying: "I wouldn't bring him in out of respect for Cristiano, for his big career.

"The other thing was the advantage that I could bring on Anthony Martial. He needs the minutes, but I don't want to point it out like that."

Ronaldo has appeared as a substitute five times in the Premier League this season, failing to score a single goal.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been limited to just one goal in all competitions this campaign, a penalty against Sheriff in a Europa League group-stage tie.

Ronaldo will hope to feature when United travel to Cyprus to face Omonia in the Europa League on Thursday, with the Red Devils trailing Real Sociedad by three points in Group E.

Erik ten Hag said he was "surprised" by Manchester United's "lack of belief" after their comprehensive 6-3 loss to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored hat-tricks as City produced a dominant performance against their rivals on Sunday, though a second-half brace from Anthony Martial and a long-range strike from Antony allowed the Red Devils to salvage some pride.

As a result, Ten Hag joined United predecessors David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick in losing his first Premier League match against City.

Asked what went wrong for United, who came into the game on the back of four successive league wins, Ten Hag told Sky Sports: "A lack of belief. 

"I'm surprised, why we didn't bring it on the pitch. I've seen – since, obviously, four weeks ago – a different team, a different spirit, a different fight and a level of commitment. 

"Today we didn't have commitment. From the first minute on, we were not on the front foot, we were not brave in possession"

Pushed on why he thought United fell short of their recent standards, the Dutchman added: "It's always difficult to find out. 

"I have to talk with my players and find out. They know they got better [in recent games], I saw the performances against Arsenal and Liverpool.

"But if you don't fight, which they didn't, then you have a problem against a team like Man City."

Sunday's defeat represents just the fourth time United have conceded six goals in a Premier League match – two of which have come against City (also in a 6-1 loss in October 2011).

United's last league reverse was also a comprehensive one, but Ten Hag said the defeat at the Etihad was not comparable to last month's 4-0 thrashing at Brentford.

"I don't think you can compare it," he said. "It's definitely like it was against Brentford mentally, but it's different.

"Against Brentford we didn't run. Today, we wanted to run, but we didn't follow the principles or rules. Once again, it was a lack of belief."

While Ten Hag was pleased with Martial's contribution following his second-half introduction, he said it was impossible to take many positives from an "unacceptable" display. 

"He had a really good pre-season and I'm happy for him that he scored goals, and also for Antony, but in this moment I cannot express for the outside world always positives," Ten Hag added.

"We are highly disappointed about this result and that has to be the tone for this Sunday. We have to accept that, but our performance is unacceptable.

"As a team, as individuals, we will criticise each other tomorrow, and then we have to learn the lessons and do better, starting next game.

"A team like City, they give you the status where you are at this moment. We did well against top teams like Liverpool and Arsenal. We were disciplined and followed the rules and the principles and we had the belief to play. 

"We were on the front foot in defending and you can bring a good performance and a result.

"When you're not on the front foot and when you're not brave enough to play, you get the result like today."

A hat-trick each for Erling Haaland and Phil Foden gave Manchester City a 6-3 win against Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

It was a ruthless performance from the Premier League champions, who were four goals up at half-time after tearing United apart time and again with their pass and move football.

Antony scored with an excellent strike early in the second half and Anthony Martial came off the bench to add two more late on to make the score a bit more respectable, but it was an otherwise dominant showing from City against Erik ten Hag's men.

Pep Guardiola saw his team go back to within a point of leaders Arsenal at the top of the league, and remain the only unbeaten team in England's top flight this season.

Pep Guardiola left Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte on the bench for Manchester City's clash with Manchester United, while Rodri missed out altogether for the Premier League champions with injury.

City manager Guardiola made three changes for the first Manchester derby of the season, with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake operating at centre-back.

John Stones was another absentee due to a hamstring injury sustained on international duty, while Guardiola decided to name Dias among the substitutes as Kyle Walker came in at right-back.

Fitness issues for Rodri ruled the Spain international out of the clash at Etihad Stadium, with Ilkay Gundogan starting in midfield behind Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and the in-form Erling Haaland up top.

"It is an injury. Yesterday in the training session he felt something. It was a little more than a niggle in his leg so we did not want to take the risk," Guardiola told Sky Sports of Rodri's injury.

"It is an important role but a strength the biggest clubs have is that excuses don't exist. Nobody is second in the locker room."

Erik ten Hag made just one alteration to his side that defeated Sheriff last time out in the Europa League as Diogo Dalot replaced Cristiano Ronaldo, who dropped to the bench.

Casemiro was again forced to settle for a place among the substitutes, with United head coach Ten Hag opting for Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen in midfield.

Marcus Rashford kept his place in the starting XI despite injury concerns over the international break, while Antony Martial was deemed fit enough to make the bench.

Pep Guardiola called on Manchester United to give Erik ten Hag time to implement his ideas ahead of his first Manchester derby meeting with the Dutchman.

Ten Hag, who worked with Guardiola when he coached Bayern Munich's second team between 2013 and 2015, will lead United at the Etihad Stadium for the first time on Sunday.

With Manchester City in imperious form, Ten Hag will look to avoid following the example set by United's last five managers (David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick) – all of whom lost their first Premier League clash with City.

United are enduring a five-year trophy drought and have yet to mount a serious Premier League title challenge since Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013, and Guardiola stressed the importance of allowing Ten Hag time to cement his approach and style of play.

"We know each other a little bit from Munich but he has done an incredible job across Europe, so I can't say anything else," Guardiola said of Ten Hag.

"Everyone knows it depends on results, if you win in the big clubs you have time, if you don't win you are in trouble."

Asked whether United's run without silverware made Ten Hag's task more difficult, Guardiola said: "I don't know, imagine if you took over after winning the Premier League and Champions League, maybe it might be tougher. But I don't know, the more you do well the better. 

"The result is a part, but the club has to watch training, how they handle problems and whatever, but if they trust [him] then give time. 

"In football, like many things in life, it needs time. If you change managers often it is difficult."  

Guardiola also revealed he enjoys a friendship with United legend Ferguson, adding: "We went for dinner once or twice, and we send messages, he is always so nice to me. 

"Not before a derby! But when we play at Old Trafford he has a box, and he offers me wine and I have loads of respect. He is a legend and I like having that relationship."

Meanwhile, speculation has cantered on whether Guardiola's own spell in Manchester, in which he has delivered four Premier League titles and five domestic cups, could soon be over, with his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign.

Guardiola is yet to agree to fresh terms, but does not expect City to struggle whenever he eventually departs, adding: "The club knows exactly the target for the next step.

"There will not be a problem. They know what they have to do. When the club depends on one person there are problems, but we have solid foundations. 

"If the club just depends on Pep, we are not doing well."

City have won their last seven Premier League home games, scoring three or more goals in each of those victories.

The last English team to win eight successive top-flight matches while scoring three or more goals in each was Tottenham, who did so between March and September 1965.

While City will have one eye set on matching that feat, another win over United would be their 18th in the Premier League, the joint-most any team has claimed against the Red Devils in the competition (also Chelsea and Liverpool). 

Manchester City and Manchester United face off for the 188th time this weekend, yet for respective managers Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag the contest at the Etihad Stadium will be their first ever meeting.

That is not to say the pair are unacquainted with one another, though. In fact, that could not be further from the truth, with the two men sharing very similar philosophies and having previously worked closely at Bayern Munich.

While Ten Hag may be a year older than his counterpart at 52, the Dutchman was the apprentice and Guardiola the master during that overlapping period in Bavaria between 2013 and 2015.

"That time was enormously valuable for me. I remember it well," Ten Hag told Bild in 2018. "Many people in Holland shook their heads when I left the Eredivisie for the Regionalliga."

No wonder. Ten Hag was a burgeoning head coach after guiding Go Ahead Eagles to their first promotion in 17 years in his only season at the club.

The decision to then take charge of Bayern Munich II, the reserve side of a Bayern team that were enjoying a period of sustained success under Guardiola at the time, was a big surprise.

For Ten Hag, the sideways move – at best – was considered an opportunity to learn from Guardiola and a better path for his long-term career. The past decade suggests that was the correct call.

Ten Hag went on to manage Ajax for four-and-a-half years following success with fellow Eredivisie club Utrecht, before being handpicked by United as the man to bring trophies back to Old Trafford – or so they hope.

"I never regretted the decision," Ten Hag recalled in that interview with the German outlet. "Working for a club as big as Bayern with such formative personalities as Pep Guardiola and also Matthias Sammer was like winning the lottery."

Ten Hag's possession-based style – though adaptable as we have come to see in his first two months at United – has drawn natural comparisons to compatriot Johan Cruyff, a man Guardiola himself took a great deal of inspiration from.

Rather than the 'Total Football' that was developed and famed by Cruyff, though, Ten Hag looked to do things the 'Guardiola Way' across his four full seasons with Ajax, during which time he won three Eredivisie titles and took the Dutch giants within seconds of a Champions League final.

"His philosophy is sensational," Ten Hag said of Guardiola in 2019. "What he did in Barcelona, Bayern and now with Manchester City, that attacking and attractive style sees him win a lot. It's this structure I've tried to implement with Ajax."

Implement it he did, and so impressed were United they not only went all out to land the Dutchman, despite it being apparent that Mauricio Pochettino would be available, they allowed him to also have a huge say in transfer activity ahead of his first season at the helm.

Of the five senior players signed, two joined directly from Ajax (Lisandro Martinez and Antony), one had previously played for the Eredivisie side and came through their youth ranks (Christian Eriksen), and another had spent his entire career to date playing in the Dutch top flight (Tyrell Malacia).

With that level of turnover both on the field and in the dugout, patience was always likely to be required among United fans. Two games in, the Red Devils found themselves bottom of the division after losing by an aggregate 6-1 scoreline against Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford.

Not so much 'Total Football', but 'Total Rubbish' in the view of many. While not as extreme, Ten Hag also made slow starts at previous clubs, including first side Go Ahead Eagles when drawing two and losing one of his first three games, and also at Utrecht with a record of two wins, two draws and two defeats.

With four wins from four since the Brentford debacle, it is fair to say Ten Hag has slowly won supporters over ahead of his first taste of the Manchester derby. Not that it has come as any surprise to Guardiola, the man seeking a fifth Premier League title in the past six seasons with City.

"He is a top-class manager and his teams are a joy to watch. Watch his Ajax team and you see his qualities," Guardiola said upon confirmation of Ten Hag's appointment at United in April. 

"To define a manager you just have to take a look at his teams for a long time and this is a team where their manager makes them play. There's no doubt about that. But the relationship we had was incredibly good."

In an alternate universe, Ten Hag would have spent another season or two in the Dutch capital before succeeding Guardiola in the Etihad Stadium dugout. Indeed, Guardiola said as much earlier this year.

"Are you asking me if Erik ten Hag could be here? Definitely," Guardiola said at a news conference when asked if the then-Ajax coach was the right sort of candidate to replace him one day.

Instead, it will be Guardiola versus Ten Hag, City against United this weekend on a day when any sort of friendship or respect will take a back seat.

For Guardiola, it is another opportunity to prove why he remains a true master; for Ten Hag, a chance to show that his apprenticeship has been put to good use.

Premier League football returns in full fashion this weekend for the first time in four weeks, with the Manchester derby a highlight.

Free-scoring Manchester City have excelled so far this term, only dropping points in draws against Aston Villa and Newcastle United, while Manchester United have won their past four after starting the season with back-to-back losses.

United have already shown intent in key matches with victories against Arsenal and Liverpool, while City are yet to face one of the established 'top six' after their clash with Tottenham was postponed.

Ahead of the game, Stats Perform has dived into the Opta stats to highlight the key angles of the match.

City's pursuit of dominance

Victory for City would mark the third in a row in the Premier League against United for the first time since a streak of four wins between April 2013 and November 2014 – including a 4-1 triumph in this fixture last season.

Defeat for United would also be their 18th in the Premier League against their cross-city rivals, equalling Liverpool and Chelsea for the most losses they have suffered in the history of the competition.

City were last beaten at home against Tottenham in February and have lost only 15 of 117 Premier League matches at the Etihad Stadium with Pep Guardiola at the helm, though he has won only two of six in the league against United at the venue.

United's solid form

Four victories in a row in the Premier League for United, on the back of four consecutive defeats, has put Erik ten Hag's side in good form heading into a crucial stage of the season and the club have not won five league games on the spin since April 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

While City have home advantage on Sunday, the away side in the Manchester derby have won 21 times in the Premier League, with no fixture being won by the visitors more times in the competition's history – three of those being for United against Guardiola's City.

United have also won two of their past three against City at the Etihad Stadium, with a 2-0 victory in March 2021 and a 2-1 triumph in December 2019.

Haaland's haunts

Hat-tricks in back-to-back Premier League home matches heading into the Manchester derby have put Erling Haaland in with an opportunity to secure further history, with no player in the competition's history netting a treble in three consecutive home games before.

City's dominance at home is not just down to the former Borussia Dortmund man, however, as they have won each of their past seven Premier League matches at home, scoring at least three goals on each occasion – a run that stretches back to last season.

No team have won eight straight matches in the top flight of English football while scoring at least three goals in each since Tottenham between March and September 1965.

Guardiola's free-scoring side have scored 10 goals in the first half of matches and 13 in the second half, both of which are more than the eight goals United have in total – while United have conceded 75 per cent of their goals in the opening half (6/8).

Ten Hag seeks to end sorry run

Ten Hag has never faced off against Guardiola during the pair's managerial career and he will be looking to end a sorry run for United managers in his first Manchester derby since taking over at the club.

Each of the five previous United managers to have taken charge of a Premier League match against City in the league have lost their first – with David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick all suffering defeats.

That leaves Alex Ferguson as the last United manager to win his first league match against City, which came way back in March 1987.

Erik ten Hag will look to do something no Manchester United manager has since Alex Ferguson when he heads to Manchester City on Sunday for a derby he is hugely looking forward to.

Ten Hag has recovered from a rocky start at Old Trafford to lead United to four straight wins in the Premier League.

But in order to extend that run, he will have to end a miserable sequences of results for United managers in their first Manchester derbies.

United great Ferguson won his first such clash in March 1987, but each of his successors – David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick – have lost their league derby debuts.

Only Chelsea and Liverpool (both 18) have celebrated more Premier League wins against United than their nearest neighbours (17), who have come out on top in their past three meetings.

Yet Ten Hag is relishing the challenge, as he told reporters on Friday: "I played many derbies. I know what they are, what rivals are doing to each other.

"I know it's the most important game here in the Manchester area for the fans. It excites me. I want to be involved in these games.

"It's a good fight that gives so much energy. You do everything to win that game."

City have won their past seven home league games, scoring at least three times in each of them, but Ten Hag is determined to focus on his own side's merits.

"The approach is for us to look to ourselves," he said.

"The approach at Man United is we want to win every game, and that message I've already told several times here. For Sunday, it's nothing else.

"We have to perform our best; with our way of playing, our rules, our principles, we have to do our best.

"We have made a good game plan, then it's about execution. We have to do it. We want to get the result, and we know if we want to get the result, we have to do it 100 per cent well."

Similarly, Ten Hag was keen not to spend too much time worrying about Erling Haaland, the City sensation who has scored a hat-trick in each of his past two home league matches. No Premier League player has ever scored three home trebles in a row.

"We don't play against Haaland; we play against Man City," Ten Hag added. "They have a team of more than 11 players, but we have also.

"We are confident of our capabilities, and if we act as a team, in and out of possession, then we can beat our opponents. That is the belief we have to take with us when we start the game."

Harry Maguire will not play for Manchester United against Manchester City due to injury, but Erik ten Hag is confident he can rediscover his best form when he returns.

The United captain has endured a torrid season, losing his place at club level and then performing poorly for England despite Gareth Southgate's backing, with individual errors contributing to Germany's 2-0 lead in Monday's 3-3 Nations League draw.

There have been calls for Maguire to be dropped by Southgate, too, but he first faces a tough task to get past Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez back into Ten Hag's winning United side.

That will not happen in Sunday's derby, as Ten Hag revealed the centre-back was the only fresh injury concern, set to miss the game while Anthony Martial and Premier League Player of the Month Marcus Rashford return.

However, the United manager was quizzed on what he can do to help Maguire get back to his best.

"First of all, I have to coach him," Ten Hag said. "I have to back him, but I back him because I believe in him. In the period I was working with him in pre-season, he was good, I would say really good, training and games.

"But then it's also to do with the good performances of the centre-backs who are playing now.

"I can see qualities. Even after he was not in the team, he trained really well. More importantly, the quality was really there.

"You see his career: he has almost 50 caps for England, already with Leicester and Man United he's performed really well. What you see is high potential.

"Then it's about him. The players in the dressing room, the coaches, the manager, we all believe in him. Now it's about him. That's what I told him. I am sure he can do it, and he will turn around this. I am really convinced of that."

Maguire has been the subject of abuse due to his performances, and while Ten Hag suggested criticism was part of the sport, he recognised a lack of belief was the defender's biggest problem.

"It's an aspect of football. It's an aspect of our work," he said. "We set conditions for that, as a manager, and we also have experts around to help, to coach the players and the team in the right direction.

"I think he is doing quite well, but for every player there is room for improvement. If he believes in his skills, he will be quickly back on the level even more than he did.

"Once again, I'm convinced of that, because I see his capabilities are really high."

Erik ten Hag has been named as the Premier League's Manager of the Month, joining Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford in gaining recognition for the Red Devils' September exploits.

Rashford was confirmed as the Player of the Month earlier on Friday, and Ten Hag's win made it an Old Trafford double.

A truncated schedule meant United only played twice in the league this month, but they beat both struggling Leicester City and previously undefeated leaders Arsenal.

United are now on a four-match winning run heading into Sunday's derby against Manchester City – Ten Hag's first since being appointed at the start of the season.

This is only the second time a United boss has been named the Manager of the Month since Alex Ferguson left the club in 2013.

The other was Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in February 2019, which was also the only other occasion on which Rashford was the Player of the Month.

Marcus Rashford described his delight at working under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United after being named the Premier League's Player of the Month for September.

Forward Rashford scored two goals and assisted two more in United's two league matches this month.

Both games – at Leicester City and at home to leaders Arsenal – ended in victory to extend United's winning run to four in the top flight.

In an interview with MUTV after earning the award for the second time in his career (also January 2019), Rashford deflected praise as he suggested "everyone's chipped in" to aid United's revival.

He also described his "favourite moment" of the month as his assist for Antony against Arsenal, ahead of either of his own two goals that day.

"Antony scoring his first goal on his debut – I think that's a massive moment," Rashford said. "It gives us strength and courage."

And the England international, who was missing from Gareth Southgate's latest squad following injury, believes United as a team are moving "in the right direction" following Ten Hag's appointment as manager at the start of the season.

"It's a fresh start and something to work towards," Rashford added. "For me, it's done me wonders.

"I'm very happy that he's here, and I'm just happy that his desire is to improve everyone and improve the team.

"It's an exciting feeling to be working towards a big end goal. Hopefully we can keep taking steps in the right direction, keep picking up points and keep progressing in tournaments."

A truncated schedule saw United score only four times in September, but Rashford had a hand in each of them and is now looking to perform on a more consistent basis.

"For me, as an individual, it's just about doing that as often as I can, trying to help the team with goals and assists and just my all-round play," he said.

Rashford has three goals and two assists for the season, having only contributed four goals and two assists in the Premier League in the whole of the previous campaign.

The 24-year-old has never previously tallied as many as five goal contributions through his first six appearances of a league season.

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has hit out at the club's recruitment in recent transfer windows, describing it as a "complete mess".

United missed out on Champions League qualification last season despite spending big to attract the likes of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford, and left it late to do their business this year.

Although Casemiro and Antony arrived shortly before the closure of the transfer window, United frustrated fans with a drawn-out, fruitless pursuit of Frenkie de Jong, while they failed to sign a striker amid uncertainty over Ronaldo's future.

While a run of four consecutive wins has got Erik ten Hag's men back on track after they lost their first two games of the Premier League campaign, Scholes believes something must change.

Recalling last year's transfer activity while speaking to Gary Neville for the Overlap, Scholes said: "[In Sancho] you've got a young player you spent a lot of money on who, don't get me wrong, did great in Germany but was unproven in the Premier League.

"Cristiano was proven, of course he was, but he was 36. Varane, I always think, 'why would a club like Real Madrid let Varane go?' 

"If you looked at him last season, he didn't look right. I didn't think it was a great transfer window. 

"It's been a complete mess. It looks like there's nobody in charge of it. Nobody at the club is taking responsibility for it.

"It is [director of football] John Murtough? Is it the manager? I think they need to put someone in charge of recruitment. What will happen eventually is the manager will get blamed for it."

United began the campaign with humiliating defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford before Ten Hag adopted a more pragmatic counter-attacking style, and Scholes believes that approach is necessary given the make-up of their squad.

"I think even with the new manager now, he's stumbled across it," Scholes said."I think the Old Trafford crowd get nervous when the goalkeeper is trying to play it 10 yards to the centre-back.

"When you talk about a club with a philosophy, that's not Manchester United, it's Barcelona, it's Manchester City now, it's Ajax. 

"I don't know if the manager's done it on purpose or just got lucky. After Brentford he realised, 'I don't really have the players to do that'. After the Brentford game, there was a change."

Luke Shaw had no grievances about being dropped by Manchester United in August, even agreeing that Erik ten Hag needed to change something.

Shaw started United's first two Premier League games of the season, defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and then Brentford.

The 4-0 loss to Brentford meant United finished a day bottom of the Premier League table for the first time in 30 years – 1992 was also the last time United had begun a league season with back-to-back defeats.

Shaw and Harry Maguire were the ones to pay the heaviest price. Neither has started any of the four league games since, all of which United won, while the left-back has not played a single minute in those games.

Despite a lack of action, both players featured for England during their two Nations League games in the past week and Shaw is hopeful of playing more regularly for United ahead of the World Cup, even if he accepts being dropped for Tyrell Malacia was not hugely surprising.

Asked by talkSPORT about playing more before Qatar 2022, Shaw said: "That's what everyone wants.

"I think Ten Hag, the boss, he knows my qualities, he knows what I'm capable of and we've had chats.

"It's understandable that – and I even agree – the start of the season wasn't good enough and he had to make changes. And I fully accept that, I accepted it.

"The only thing I can do is train hard and wait for my opportunities, whether that's in the cup games or the Premier League.

"Whatever I play in, I just have to be ready and play at the standard I should be at."

Shaw scored in England's 3-3 draw with Germany on Monday, a result that did little to ease the pressure on manager Gareth Southgate.

England's loss to Italy three days earlier confirmed their relegation from the top tier of the Nations League, but Shaw thinks the criticism of Southgate is unfair given what he has achieved in the job until now.

"You look at the results of the last two major tournaments and it's bizarre how people can attack him and say it's not good enough," Shaw added.

"At the moment we haven't won, we have to win a major tournament to be extremely successful, but we're heading in the right direction and he's guiding us in the right direction.

"From when he first came in, you've seen the difference in the England team to where we are now but of course the results recently haven't been good enough. We'll be ready in the World Cup."