A SEASON to forget so far for Manchester United brought a predictably dismal end to 2023.
The 2-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground swept away all the positive energy generated by the thrilling Boxing Day comeback against Aston Villa.
Proposed new club director Sir Dave Brailsford sat next to legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson for the latest painful staging post in an awful campaign that has already seen United lose an incredible 14 games – the most before the end of the year in a single season since 1930-31, when they finished bottom.
Big-money signings are not delivering and others with huge reputations are also underperforming.
As has been the case for the best part of a month now, Ten Hag has responded to a defeat by saying he cannot use injuries as an excuse yet at the same time insisting results will come when he gets the likes of Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof, Rasmus Hojlund and Harry Maguire back.
Other observers are far less forgiving in their judgement, with former captain Gary Neville telling Sky Sports: “Manchester United are back to their worst, back to what they are – inconsistent and awful.”
Just how bad has United’s season been?
Manchester United have never had fewer points, nor scored fewer goals, at this point of a Premier League season.
Only in 1930 (28), 1972 (25) and 1921 (24) have they lost more games in a calendar year than the 21 defeats they suffered in 2023.
They have lost nine out of their opening 20 league games for the first time since 1989-90. United only lost nine times in the league in Ten Hag’s first season in charge.
This season they have lost more games (14) than they have won (12) in all competitions.
United have lost five out of eight games in December, scoring six times and conceding 12.
Their best run of the season is three successive victories. They have won two games in a row just twice.