United View: Response needed after another pitiful defeat.

It once again feels like crisis time at Manchester United, although considering how poorly this season has turned out, isn’t this just normal at this point?

The 4-0 unravelling at Crystal Palace was as disappointing as it was unsurprising, even if the fans were still in full voices at full time.

To be brutally honest, there wasn’t much optimism going into Monday night’s fixture against Palace. The Eagles have been in fine form under Oliver Glasner and coupled with a makeshift Manchester United squad, things did not bode well for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes, United’s two best performers right now, were both ruled out through injury. Which led to Johnny Evans, who had failed a fitness test on the day, partnering Casemiro at centre half meanwhile Mason Mount, fresh back from injury himself, filling in for United’s captain.

Things went as terribly as expected, which is sad to say given the proud history of Manchester United, but as of right now they are a shell of who they once were. Two goals either side of half time rounded off a torrid night in the capital for the Reds.

Michael Olise, who has been heavily linked with United in recent weeks, was on hand to score a brace. Hopefully, the performance of his potential suitors wasn’t a deterrent for the 22-year-old to rethink his next career move.

The manager suggested his side ‘didn’t stick to the plan’ and refused to single out any of his players following the defeat. However, Casemiro has been scapegoated after his performance, being at fault for at least two of the goals conceded. With Sky Sport’s pundit Jamie Carragher suggesting the 32-year-old should pack his bags for Saudi.

At Selhurst Park last season, Casemiro was one of the most important players in the United squad. Even receiving a yellow card that ruled him out of a crucial match against Arsenal, which at the time was significantly detrimental to the squad. Fast forward to May 2024 and the Brazilian looks far from the player he once was.

In fairness to Casemiro, this runs much deeper than him. The culmination of years of mismanagement across the club and bad recruitment has led to a team that doesn’t look or feel like a team. Who knows were INEOS even begin to try and turn this around.

Questions will undoubtedly be asked about ten Hag’s future but until the summer nothing will be decided. The Dutchman has been able to help the side reach their second FA Cup Final in two years and with only three games remaining in the league, it’s only fair he is able to see it out.

This doesn’t excuse him or his side from throwing in the towel and being passengers for the final games. They still have to play against Arsenal, Newcastle and Brighton, all of which have a recent history of being highly motivated of getting a result against United.

It may sound cliché, but the team needs to find some pride and play for the shirt and the fans. On Monday night, the only positive to be taken was the response of the away end at full time.

Still singing passionately and refusing to turn on the side, almost in an act of defiance. As if to say, ‘You might not care about this club, but we do’.

Credit to them and for all the talk about United fans being glory hunters back in the day, that certainly cannot be the case now. We’ll see if the team is able to show some sort of response on Sunday against Arsenal at Old Trafford.