Harry Maguire admits he cannot keep just playing once a month for Manchester United but remains confident of winning back his place and helping Erik ten Hag’s team climb the table.

It has been a bumpy ride since the 30-year-old starred in England’s run to the Euro 2020 final, with the defender falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford and then losing the captaincy.

A widely-discussed summer move to West Ham did not materialise and settled Maguire remained at a club where he is trying to get his career back on track with next summer’s Euros looming large.

Gareth Southgate has been a staunch supporter of the centre-back throughout his ups and downs but admitted to concerns over his level of involvement, which the ex-United skipper is determined to improve.

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“I have belief in my ability and what I have done in my career as every player should,” Maguire said.

“Every player who is on the bench should believe they should be starting, otherwise they wouldn’t be playing at a high level. I am no different.

“Listen, it’s been tough. I want to play games. I want to feel important to the club and I want to feel important to the rest of the team.

“At the moment I haven’t been playing anywhere near as much as I’d like. It’s the bottom line of it.

“I’ve just got to make sure I am ready to take the opportunities when they come along.”

Asked when gametime becomes an issue and, given Euro 2024 is coming up, whether that could be sooner rather than later, said: “Yeah, of course.

“I mean, I’m not going to sit here all my life and play once every month and if it carries on then I’m sure myself and the club will sit down and have a chat about things.

“But, honestly, at the moment I’m fully focused on two games for England, two big games.

“Then I’m fully focused on fighting and trying to get back my place at Manchester United and helping the team climb up the league to where we should be.”

England face Australia in a Wembley friendly on Friday before attention turns to the crunch Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy.

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Maguire has kept his England place despite his struggles to break his way into Ten Hag’s line-up, making his first Premier League start of the campaign in Saturday’s 2-1 comeback win against Brentford.

“It’s not my decision whether I start the next game or not,” said the defender, who provided the assist for Scott McTominay’s winner. “I’m unsure on that. I’m sure in a couple of weeks I’ll go back and find out.

“Listen, if you look back on my last 15 to 20 starts for club and country, I would be happy to sit here and say ‘I’m really happy with my performances’.

“My record under this manager speaks for itself. I haven’t started as many games as I’d like, but my win percentage when I’ve played is ridiculously high.

“And of course there’s times when I can do more and times when I can improve and help the team, but, yeah, I’m just wanting to help the team.

“I’m wanting to help the team get out of this position that we’re in at the moment and hopefully we can do that in the coming weeks.”

Maguire benefitted from a string of defensive absentees as he made just his ninth Premier League start since Ten Hag arrived.

The Dutchman has always spoken positively about the defender in public, saying in August that he “has the abilities to be a top-class centre-back” and must “fight for his place”.

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“I can only do what I’ve been doing in terms of when I’ve come into the team, bringing positive performances,” Maguire said.

“I’ve started two games this season and come on in a few off the bench, but, yeah, keep working hard in training.

“The manager can only watch training and make his decision from training and the games when I get the opportunity to play.

“I’ll keep working hard, I’ll keep pushing. I have great belief in myself.”

Marc Skinner expressed his pride in his players after Manchester United drew 1-1 with Paris St Germain the first leg of their Champions League qualifying tie on a historic night at Leigh Sports Village.

Making their European debut, United found themselves under considerable pressure from their opponents in the first half before two-time Champions League finalists PSG took the lead nine minutes into the second via Tabitha Chawinga’s finish.

The hosts then responded impressively with substitutes to the fore and equalised via a 70th-minute header from one of them, on-loan Lyon forward Melvine Malard, who had also scored after coming on in last Friday’s 2-2 Women’s Super League draw with Arsenal at the same venue.

Boss Skinner said: “It was literally the cliche game of two halves in my opinion.

“I think the reality is the first half, that’s the fastest we have played against, the highest intensity. Even Arsenal, it was much more intense than that.

“I think it just took our players to see it, feel it, and then at half-time they fixed it. I’m so proud of the resilience first half, because they stayed in the game, some really good defending, and then second half I felt we had them on the ropes and we could have taken the game.

“It did feel like we could have won the game. In the end it felt probably fair as a draw.”

The second leg is in Paris next Wednesday as the sides vie for a place in the group stage.

Asked how confident he was about that match, Skinner said: “I believe we can do it anywhere, so I’m going to believe we can do it in Paris.

“I said to girls tonight we belong at this level, I have no doubt about that.

“We’re a club that is historic in the men’s Champions League, and we haven’t had time to do that in the women’s yet, so we have to earn it now. But we have great shoulders to stand on from our men’s team, and that’s what we have to take into the second leg, that belief that we’re Manchester United and we can beat anybody.

“We’re going to go to Paris and believe we can win because if you don’t, there’s no point jumping on the plane.

“I feel if we match their physicality, we’re the better footballing team. I want to see us go there and don’t play with fear.”

Skinner also once again questioned the competition’s format, as he had done in the build-up to the match.

Skinner said: “If this isn’t as good as a quarter-final is in the actual tournament, I don’t know what you’re going to get.

“I’m seeing teams that are going to play tomorrow, no disrespect, that we would beat, and they’re playing to get in the Champions League proper, and that for me is strange.

“For me, it needs to be looked at. PSG have been in two finals, and yet we’re playing them in a qualifying game.

“The teams are ready to expand. We have four or five in this country that could play in the Champions League. I think it’s ready to expand.”

The United-PSG contest is one of five ties in the ‘league path’ of the second qualifying round, which also features two-time winners and last season’s runners-up Wolfsburg.

There are also seven ‘champions path’ ties involving sides who won their leagues in 2022-23.

WSL champions Chelsea are among the automatic qualifiers for the group stage, which features 16 teams across four pools. Arsenal were eliminated in the first qualifying round.

Diogo Dalot believes the stunning late turnaround against Brentford can be a watershed moment in Manchester United’s season.

Erik ten Hag’s men were staring down the barrel of a third Old Trafford defeat in eight days as Saturday’s Premier League match headed into second-half stoppage time.

Mathias Jensen capitalised on a comedy of errors to put Brentford on course for a famous victory that would have ratcheted up the already intense pressure and scrutiny on out-of-sorts United.

But, unlike their previous defeats to Crystal Palace and Galatasaray, the Red Devils found a way to fight back as super sub Scott McTominay’s brace sealed a remarkable 2-1 triumph.

Trailing at 92 minutes 46 seconds, this was United’s latest ever Premier League comeback and Dalot echoed manager Ten Hag’s view that Saturday must be “a turning point” in their season.

“I think it means a little bit more than three points for us after these last couple of weeks,” the Portugal right-back said.

“I think the way that we won – obviously I didn’t mind scoring a few goals earlier than the 90 minutes – but I think it shows we are here to fight, we are here to suffer together.

“I think the fans were behind us every step of the way and I think this can be a turning point for us. We want to look at this as a turning point and we know it’s going to be difficult.

“That’s how it’s meant to be to be as a Manchester United player and today I think was proof we can fight until the end.”

United dug deep at Old Trafford, where after the game Ten Hag bemoaned a lack of hunger during their meek, error-strewn start to the season.

Those issues were clear in Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray, increasing the external focus on Old Trafford that Dalot has previously called a “killing machine”.

“We did a lot of things together, everyone getting together,” he said of the build-up.

“We focused on what we have to do tactically.

“We always do that, but especially coming into the game, feeling like we had to be a proper team.

“Obviously we controlled the game, we created chances, we could have scored goals, but the most important thing for me was the way we fought until the end, the way the fans showed the support for us and that shows they are with us.

“They have been with us all the way and we have to give (back) like this.”

Dalot said it was clear to see the team “gave everything” on Saturday afternoon as McTominay’s 87th-minute introduction sparked a scarcely-believable comeback.

The 24-year-old says he sees a lot of himself in the selfless, hardworking midfielder, who was linked with a summer move but stayed to fight for his place at his boyhood club.

“When Scott comes in, with all the energy that he has, the mentality, that shows that we are a proper team and I’m very happy with the result,” Dalot said.

“I think if you’re a Manchester United fan you know that Scott will always love the club and will always fight for his place.

“I don’t know what was in his head (over the summer), but I’m sure that once he decided that he has to stay I think he will give 100 per cent.

“Now we just have to help him to get along every day with us and be together as a team.”

While United went into the international break on a high, Brentford were left reeling from a last-gasp gut punch and even later knockout blow.

Brentford midfielder Vitaly Janelt said: “We played a very good game and at 90 minutes we were leading at Old Trafford.

“Then, in five minutes, they turn around the game and win 2-1.

“We have to finish a counter or a set-piece to make it 2-0, that’s the only thing I would say we can do better.

“It’s nice to have a good performance but obviously we want the points.

“Sometimes I don’t care if we play s***, as long as we get three points. We can turn it around together.”

Former Manchester United star David Beckham believes he knows the right people to take over and restore the club’s fortunes.

Speaking to Sky Sports at the Qatar Grand Prix as the ongoing takeover saga at Old Trafford approaches its first anniversary, the 48-year-old Inter Miami president admitted he was hoping for a conclusion to the Glazer family’s strategic review sooner rather than later.

Asked if Saturday’s last-gasp Premier League victory over Brentford could be a turning point for manager Erik ten Hag, Beckham told Sky Sports: “Let’s see.

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“He’s a good coach. It is a difficult time at the moment, but there’s a lot of noise around the club at the moment, so it can’t be easy for him.

“We all want that noise to go away and we all want a decision to be made for the club, for the fans, for the players and for the manager as well because we are one of the, if not the, biggest clubs in the world and we want stability, and I think that’s the most important thing.

“We all have our favourites of who we feel need to run the club and look after the club and take the club back to where it belongs, but in our eyes, in the fans’ eyes, we’re number one and we want to be back at the top.

“I believe I know the right people to do that, so…”

Asked if “the right people” could be Sheikh Jassim, Beckham added with a smile: “We’ll see.”

Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim and INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitted offers to buy the club in February and have made further bids since, although little significant progress has been made.

The club’s valuation on the New York Stock Exchange plummeted by more than £500million last month in the wake of reports the Glazers may not sell after all, and reports since have suggested Ratcliffe, the second-richest person in the UK according to the Sunday Times Rich List, could decide instead to buy a minority stake in the Premier League giants.

Meanwhile, Beckham sent his condolences to his former United boss Sir Alex Ferguson following the death of his wife Lady Cathy at the age of 84.

He said: “Obviously deepest sympathies go to the boss because to have Cathy by his side for a long, long time, got many, many years to be the strength that he needed through his career and through his life, it’s a really sad time for him and his family and the grandkids, so we obviously send our love to him.

“She was an incredible person and someone… We looked up to the boss, we also looked up to Cathy, so it’s a really sad time for him.”

Erik ten Hag says Manchester United’s stunning stoppage-time turnaround against Brentford has to be the “turning point” in their season.

The afterglow from a promising first season under the Dutchman has long since dimmed, with the mood threatening to darken further before the international break.

Mathias Jensen put Brentford on course for a famous Old Trafford win as United entered second-half stoppage time staring down the barrel of a fifth defeat in their opening eight league matches.

But super sub Scott McTominay had other ideas. Introduced in the 87th minute, he fired United level in the 93rd minute and four minutes later headed home to seal a scarcely believable 2-1 comeback win.

“This has to be a turning point but also it has to be a restart because we have to get into higher levels,” United boss Ten Hag said.

“But the spirit is good, the belief is good, the team is together.

“We have shown that, we have shown strong character and it can be the turning point in the season but it’s up to us.

“Those games give fuel to a dressing room. They know how far they have to go to get results.

“It can’t be easy going and in football, it’s eat or you get eaten.

“Too many times in the first half of the season we have got eaten by opponents who are more hungry, and this can’t be. It has to go away.

“Every player, every second he is on the pitch, he has to deliver that. That is the demand and the standard.

“When you do that, we have seen last season that you get a determined team.

“We were not always determined on every occasion in games and you get hammered for it and this has to change.”

McTominay was the fifth and final substitution made by Ten Hag as United desperately looked to avoid a third straight Old Trafford defeat in all competitions.

The homegrown midfielder was linked with a summer move but stayed and came up trumps on Saturday, when he admitted he could not quite hear Ten Hag’s instructions when bringing him on.

McTominay reckoned his manager “probably said something like ‘go on and score’,” but the grinning Dutchman said: “I said score two goals!

“It says a lot (about his mentality). He’s Man United in everything, in his heart. He’s playing for the badge, he gives his life.

“When you’re coming on and you give this to the team, that tells a lot. That also tells a lot about this dressing room, they are together.

“And also I felt the whole afternoon a strong togetherness with the fans because even when we are losing they kept standing behind us.

“They kept us going, the team kept going and finally we get rewarded.”

Brentford were just moments away from a famous first Old Trafford win since 1937, only to be denied their second victory of the season at the death.

Bees head coach Thomas Frank said: “When you’re leading 1-0 into three minutes injury time and then lose, I think that’s unfair.

“I think if you were winning there you would all say ‘well done, tough game for Brentford, deserved win’.

“When they equalised, probably you could say ‘OK, 1-1 is probably fair’.

“I think that we played close to a perfect first half, very aggressive in the high pressure, very brave on the ball, good on the counters, defended well.

“I think it was a well-deserved 1-0 lead that first half.

“Second half we get more under pressure. Of course, we’re playing against Man United at Old Trafford. They have to win.

“I know when it’s good for other managers. I’m happy for Erik but of course not happy for myself that we didn’t win, because I think he would probably have faced a pretty brutal room if he’d lost.”

Super sub Scott McTominay’s stunning stoppage-time double secured Manchester United a remarkable last-gasp 2-1 comeback victory against Brentford.

Premier League losses at home to Brighton and Crystal Palace led to intense scrutiny and pressure that had increased further after Tuesday’s chastening Champions League defeat to Galatasaray.

Erik ten Hag’s men needed to go into the international break on a high but floundered for the most part on Saturday afternoon, with a catalogue of errors resulting in Mathias Jensen’s opener.

United offered precious little in response as Brentford headed into second-half stoppage time on course for a famous first win at Old Trafford since 1937.

But McTominay, brought on as a final roll of the dice in the 87th minute, had other ideas.

First the homegrown midfielder fired home a 93rd-minute equaliser and four minutes later headed home a scarcely believable winner to spark wild Old Trafford celebrations.

It was an incredible end to a day that began in poignant fashion as Old Trafford paid tribute to Lady Cathy Ferguson following the death of Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife.

Players wore black armband and flags flew at half-mast on a day that both teams began with intent that they struggled to turn into clear-cut chances.

Aaron Hickey twice tried his luck from distance as the Bees attempted to sting a makeshift United backline.

With five defenders injured and the defence unbalanced, Victor Lindelof was deployed at left-back and Harry Maguire made his first league start of the campaign alongside Jonny Evans.

United lacked the Bees’ coherence and discipline and, shortly after mightily impressive Ethan Pinnock’s sliding block denied Mason Mount, their ongoing issues cost them.

Slack Casemiro gave away possession around the centre circle and failed to win it back, with Lindelof then failing to effectively deal with Yoane Wissa’s low ball into the box.

That botched clearance ricocheted off the Brentford forward into the path of Jensen to sweep home a low, first-time strike that Andre Onana could not get down to stop.

It was an all too familiar gut punch for United, who failed to muster a shot on target until Marcus Rashford wriggled free to test Premier League debutant Thomas Strakosha in the 37th minute.

Bryan Mbeumo sent a curling effort skipping just wide when Brentford returned to the attack, with United creating precious beyond a hopeful looping Casemiro header back across goal.

Boos greeted the half-time whistle and Ten Hag replaced underperforming Casemiro with former Brentford midfielder Christian Eriksen at the break.

The introduction’s hopeful, long-range piledriver forced Strakosha into action in the 53rd minute, with Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund trying to eke out an equaliser.

Diogo Dalot hacked clear after a long Brentford throw-in was flicked on, but play was now nearly entirely focused at the other end.

The right-back flashed an effort over and Hojlund struck into the side netting, with Strakosha palming away a Bruno Fernandes effort.

Lindelof went straight down the tunnel after being replaced by Anthony Martial, perhaps suggesting another injury for a United side struggling for luck or cohesion.

The France forward saw penalty appeals overlooked in between fellow introduction Alejandro Garnacho whipping over and Fernandes missing the target.

Onana impressively clawed away substitute Neal Maupay’s audacious 20-yard attempt but a few frustrated fans had begun heading towards the exit.

Anyone that left early missed a box office conclusion.

United thought they had equalised in the 89th minute, only to realise Martial had strayed offside when flicking a cross that deflected into the Brentford goal.

That setback made the stoppage-time turnaround all the sweeter for the Old Trafford faithful.

Three minutes into stoppage time Garnacho hooked back for Dalot to get a shot that Strakosha parried, with McTominay eventually controlling a clearance and drilling home.

Martial got a low shot on goal during a melee as United sought a winner that arrived in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Fernandes’ floated free-kick from around the halfway line was headed on by Maguire and McTominay battled to head home to secure a jaw-dropping late victory.

Erik Ten Hag admits Manchester United’s level of play since winning the Carabao Cup has been unacceptable.

The Red Devils take on Brentford on Saturday looking to avoid a run of three successive defeats for the second time this season.

But results had already tailed off at the end of the last campaign, with Ten Hag’s win percentage dropping from 69 per cent prior to the victory over Newcastle at Wembley to around 50 per cent since.

The positivity that had accompanied the Dutchman’s first season in charge has rapidly evaporated, and he said: “We dropped in levels. We have to get back to those levels.

“There are reasons for it but still it’s not acceptable and we have to fight against it. Every team we put out has to be on one page and the routines are not always there. They have a good foundation in the way they play, keep the foundation, support each other and we will do better.”

United have endured another miserable week, with a Premier League loss to Crystal Palace followed by a 3-2 home defeat by Galatasaray in the Champions League, where goalkeeper Andre Onana again struggled.

Ten Hag believes his side are being punished for lapses, saying: “Consistency, that is the problem we are struggling with.

“In parts of the game, I will say in big parts of the game, we do a lot of things right but then there are moments where we are struggling and in such moments we can’t survive.

“In this moment, you have to do the right things, so be consistent and do the job, be consistent in the communication, and when you do that you keep the right organisation and do it like before.

“Definitely you can mark such a moment as when we score a goal or concede a goal and when decisive moments go against us, we lose a bit as a team. Over big parts, in 95 per cent of the game, we are a team, so keep going all the way through and we have to step up.

“Most important in such moments is you keep on one page and it starts with communication.”

Rasmus Hojlund’s double against Galatasaray was the bright spot but Marcus Rashford again struggled.

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The England forward has gone seven matches without a goal for club and country, with his only effort so far this season coming against Arsenal at the beginning of September.

Ten Hag has no doubt it is just a blip, though, saying: “It’s normal you are not always right at the same levels. Everyone knows the qualities of him and if Rashy does the things right and the team does, it’s up to him.

“We have seen in the last weeks he is coming in good positions, he is struggling, but it will pass. Everyone knows the qualities, everyone at Man United backs him, the whole team supports him and believes in him, I am sure with that it will change and this will pass.

“Strikers, when they don’t score for a moment, they need one goal, then they step over. When he is doing the right things, and he is doing the right things, the momentum will come and he will be on fire.”

Antony could make his return to Premier League action having coming off the bench against Galatasaray but Jadon Sancho remains out of the picture.

Manchester United midfielder Ella Toone joked she probably “won’t be best friends” with former team-mate Alessia Russo when the pair meet in the Women’s Super League on Friday night.

After spending three seasons in Manchester, Russo swapped the Red Devils for Arsenal in the summer, joining the north London outfit on a free transfer.

The 24-year-old striker now makes a quick return to her old stomping ground when United host the Gunners at Leigh Sports Village and her childhood friend Toone knows exactly what a threat her England colleague poses.

“We speak every day but we’ve not spoken about (Friday’s) game as such, probably not something we will speak about either,” Toone told the PA news agency.

“I’m sure we won’t be best friends for those 90 minutes, but I’m sure as soon as the game’s done we’ll be back to normal!

“In football that’s what happens, people move on and Alessia’s coming back to where she started her WSL career now so it’s exciting for everyone who’s there.

“For us we don’t want her to score, we know what kind of player she is, she’s unbelievable on the ball. We’ll really try and stop her threats.

“It’s going to be different, I remember the last time we were up against each other was probably when she was in the Chelsea youth and I think I was in Blackburn academy. That was one of the only times we did come up against each other.

“It’s always nice when you come up against people who you know, you know what they’re like as players and you know how to try and stop them. She’s going to come back to where she started and it’ll be nice to see her, but I guess for those 90 minutes I’ll want to beat her!”

Toone was speaking on behalf of McDonald’s to promote their McDelivery campaign, encouraging people to get their McDonald’s fix in the comfort of their own home and sharing their favourite orders.

United will be looking to secure back-to-back wins on Friday having opened the season with a 2-1 victory against Aston Villa thanks to Rachel Williams’ late winner.

Marc Skinner’s side are hoping to go one step further this season having come incredibly close to securing a maiden WSL title last year, finishing two points behind champions Chelsea.

The side have made some exciting signings over the summer with World Cup golden boot winner Hinata Miyazawa and Brazil forward Geyse joining, and Toone is determined that the club can keep building.

“We’re at a club with high ambitions, as players we have those ambitions as well,” she said.

“You don’t want to be at a club where you’re not winning trophies, so for us it’s about kicking on and really progressing as much as we can.

“Coming off the back of last season we finished the highest we’ve ever finished in the league and we managed to reach a FA Cup final, which is the best cup run we’ve had.

“So it’s about building on that now, we’ve signed some really good, talented players and integrated them into the squad nicely, for us it’s about taking each game as it comes and progressing in the league.”

Ella Toone is encouraging football fans up and down the country to get in on a game day McDelivery. Download the McDonald’s App and order today!

Former France and Manchester United goalkeeper Fabien Barthez announced his retirement from football, on this day in 2006.

The 1998 World Cup winner made his announcement on French television channel TF1, three months after appearing in the 2006 World Cup final.

Barthez, aged 35 at the time, said: “I am quitting the French team, I am quitting club football. I am going to continue enjoying myself without football.”

The mercurial Frenchman, who also helped his country win Euro 2000, initially quit soon after being released by Marseille at the end of the 2005-06 season.

He had been France’s first-choice keeper in the 2006 World Cup, with his last match being the penalty shoot-out loss to Italy in the final.

Barthez was with United for four years between 2000 and 2004, winning two Premier League titles in the process.

But his erratic displays saw Sir Alex Ferguson lose patience with him and he spent the final season on loan back at former club Marseille, who he subsequently joined on a two-year permanent deal.

Shortly before he announced his retirement, Barthez had been trying to agree a deal with first club Toulouse, but it did not work out.

“The only club I wanted to go to was not so happy to have me,” he said. “It happens and you have to live with it. I needed an adventure and I have only done things that I want to.”

Barthez’s club retirement did not last long though, with the keeper announcing in December 2006 that he had signed a deal with Nantes.

But the following April, after an altercation with a Nantes fan, Barthez left the club and, although he stated his intention to carry on playing, he did not make another appearance.

In 2008, Barthez switched sports and began a successful motorsport career. He won the 2013 French GT Championship alongside Morgan Moullin-Traffort and competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Manchester United have endured their worst start to a season since 1986, following Tuesday night’s Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray.

United have lost six of their opening 10 games in all competitions, a tally not seen since the latter stages of Ron Atkinson’s managerial reign.

Here, the PA news agency compares their current struggles with previous poor starts.

37-year low

Erik ten Hag’s side were booed off the pitch on Tuesday after another disappointing performance at Old Trafford.

The 3-2 loss to Galatasaray was United’s second in successive Champions League matches – following a 4-3 reverse against Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich – to go with four Premier League defeats.

The Red Devils succumbed 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday, compounding previous losses against Brighton, Arsenal and Tottenham.

A 3-0 win over Palace in the Carabao Cup last week was by far their most convincing of the season, with narrow Premier League victories against Burnley, Nottingham Forest and Wolves doing little to silence the doubters.

United’s total of six defeats in 10 games is their highest since the 1986-87 season – the year that Sir Alex Ferguson took charge of the club.

Under Ferguson’s predecessor Atkinson, United lost six of their first eight Premier League games, with a 5-1 win over Southampton in mid-September providing only temporary respite.

Atkinson was sacked in early November with United in the bottom four of the First Division.

No defence

United’s main issues under Ten Hag appear to be in defence, with the Dutchman having watched his side concede 18 goals already this term.

They have shipped at least three goals on four separate occasions – at home to Galatasaray and Brighton and away to Bayern and Arsenal.

Goalkeeper Andre Onana is yet to prove himself to be a significant upgrade on David de Gea, while a back four shorn of key injury absentees such as Lisandro Martinez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Luke Shaw looked all at sea against Wilfried Zaha and co on Tuesday.

Their total number of goals conceded is higher than the 13 shipped in the first 10 games in 1986-87, and surpasses anything seen in the Ferguson era or subsequently.

United also struggled defensively at the start of 2022-23, conceding 17 goals in the first 10 games – a tally matched only by Louis van Gaal’s first season (2014-15) and one of Ferguson’s early campaigns at the club (1989-90).

However, Ten Hag oversaw a significant improvement in the remainder of last season, with United going on to keep a Premier League-leading 17 clean sheets across the whole campaign.

Rasmus Hojlund says Manchester United must stick together if they are to emerge from a “tough period” that has put Erik ten Hag’s side under intense scrutiny and pressure.

Having won the Carabao Cup, reached the FA Cup final and finished third during the Dutchman’s first campaign in change, things have gone dramatically awry this term.

United have lost four of their opening seven matches for the first time in the Premier League era and are pointless after their first two Champions League group games.

There was no disgrace in the 4-3 loss at Bayern Munich a fortnight ago, but Tuesday’s 3-2 collapse at home to a Galatasaray side that had never won in England before is something else.

“Of course it’s not about the individual performance,” Hojlund said.

“It’s about getting the three points and at the moment we’re not doing good enough.

“We need to remember we can’t get goals (go in) right after we score.

“We’ve had a few games now where they just score after we scored.

“We need to go back and analyse that tomorrow and talk about it in the group.

“Of course it’s a tough period now but we need to stick together and that’s the only way we can get out of this period.”

Hojlund opened the scoring on Tuesday with his first Old Trafford goal, only for grinning former United forward Wilfried Zaha to level for Galatasaray.

Summer signing Hojlund raced through to score a superb second after he saw an earlier effort ruled out for offside, but Kerem Akturkoglu quickly equalise for the visitors.

That goal sent United into a tailspin. Andre Onana’s horror pass led to Casemiro getting a red card and the Turkish champions winning a penalty, which Mauro Icardi missed but quickly atoned for when racing through to dink home.

“We need to get some points now if we want to play in Champions League after the group stage,” Hojlund said ahead of matches home and away to former club FC Copenhagen.

“I am looking forward to playing against them because it’s a former club, my brothers are playing there, and I have a big heart for Copenhagen.

“But now I play in Manchester United and we need to get some points out of them.”

United players kept their heads down as they walked through interview area after a chastening loss in which Hojlund’s display was the only highlight.

The Old Trafford giants went for promise over a proven goalscorer when signing the 20-year-old international from Atalanta in the summer and he enjoyed his breakout moment on Tuesday.

“It’s about getting in there,” Hojlund told MUTV. “For me, I always try to get into the dangerous positions.

“Today I got the ball three times (there), if you count the offside goal as well.

“I’ve been bought to be scoring goals and now I was happy to score two today.

“Marcus (Rashford) and I talk to each other and he knows that I’m going to be there.

“He knows that I can keep up with his pace when we go on the counter and we saw a glimpse of that today.

“(The second goal) was a good feeling. I got cheated a little bit before because of the offside (with my second goal) but, yeah, it was an incredible goal.

“I like to call that a signature Rasmus goal – on the left side, running a lot so, yeah, it was nice.”

What the papers say

Jadon Sancho is looking increasingly likely to call time at Old Trafford in January. The Daily Mail, citing Sky Germany, says the 23-year-old winger has been in regular contact with former club Borussia Dortmund, amid his stand-off with Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.

Staying with the Red Devils, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has emerged on the club’s radar for a potential January move. According to the Mail, the centre-back is viewed as a potential replacement should Harry Maguire depart the club in the new year. Branthwaite is also wanted by Manchester City, having impressed on loan at PSV Eindhoven.

And The Telegraph reports former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is open to replacing Michael Beale as Rangers manager.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Lionel Messi: The Daily Mirror says the Inter Miami forward will return to his first club, Newell’s Old Boys, when his contract expires in 2025.

Jeremie Frimpong: The left-back is set to re-sign with Bayer Leverkusen, according to the Daily Record.

Under-pressure Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job after his side’s horror start to the season continued with a Champions League home defeat to Galatasaray.

The Red Devils threw away a 2-1 lead to fall to a 3-2 loss at a rain-soaked Old Trafford and suffer their worst start to a season since 1986.

They have lost six of their opening 10 games for the first time in 37 years and their chances of getting out of the group stages already look in doubt after just two matches.

But Ten Hag, who says there are “no excuses” for his side’s dismal performances, insist everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction.

Asked whether he feared for his job, the Dutchman said: “Last season: brilliant, terrific, more than we could expect.

“We also knew in this project there would be common gaps. At this moment we are in a very difficult period as everyone can see but we come out together, we are fighting together, we are sticking together and we are behind each other. That is me, the directors, the team, all together we will fight.

“This is not us, we know we have to do better, with togetherness we will come out.

“If I give an explanation, then you will see as excuses, there are no excuses. We can’t make the errors we are now making. We have to do better, it is a simple fact, we have to win our games.”

United had victory in their own hands after two Rasmus Hojlund goals, either side of former United winger Wilfried Zaha’s leveller, put them on course for a much-needed win.

But Kerem Akturkoglu again pegged them back and then a woeful error by Andre Onana set them on a path to self-destruction as his abysmal pass led to Casemiro fouling Dries Mertens in the penalty area and the Brazilian was sent off.

Mauro Icardi missed the resulting penalty, but made amends three minutes later as he grabbed the winner and sealed a first ever victory on English soil for the Turkish side.

Onana also made a costly gaffe in the Group A opener at Bayern Munich a fortnight ago but Ten Hag, who managed him at Ajax, has backed the Cameroonian to come good.

“We are happy with our goalkeeping group, definitely with Andre,” Ten Hag said. “He was in one semi-final of the Champions League, last year he was in the final of the Champions League, he has the capablilties to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

“He has shown that and he will do. We already have seen in games his great capabilites, also his personality after he made mistakes. He will bounce back and I am sure he will in the coming games as well.”

Galatasaray were good value for their victory and are now a good bet to progress to the knockout stages, having taken four points from their opening two games.

“In the second half I believe we played better, we had more chances,” coach Okan Buruk said. “At the end of the day we are happy, we won against this team, a very important team.

“This victory is very important for Turkish football, for us and for our standing in the group.”

Manchester United fell to a jaw-dropping, error-ridden 3-2 defeat at home to Galatasaray as Erik ten Hag’s side saw their start to the season go from bad to worse in an embarassing Champions League collapse.

Having lost their Group A opener at Bayern Munich and fallen to a fourth defeat in seven Premier League matches on Saturday, the Red Devils reached a new low on a wet Tuesday night at Old Trafford.

Rasmus Hojlund scored a superb second after his opener was cancelled out by Galatasaray’s grinning former United forward Wilfried Zaha, only for Ten Hag’s men to spectacularly unravel.

Kerem Akturkoglu equalised and summer signing Andre Onana’s atrocious pass out straight to Dries Mertens led to a poor Casemiro recovery challenge that saw the Brazil midfielder sent off and a penalty awarded.

The goalkeeper – guilty of a costly gaffe in Munich – was relieved to see Mauro Icardi strike the spot-kick wide, but the striker swiftly made amends as United fell to a third Old Trafford loss of the campaign