Manchester United's woes under Erik Ten Hag continued after they were again beaten 3-0 at Old Trafford in the Premier League this season, with Tottenham Hotspur following in Liverpool's footsteps on Sunday afternoon.
It has been a limp beginning to the new season for the Red Devils despite some major transfer dealings in the summer.
The 3-0 loss to Spurs marked United's third defeat in six Premier League matches this season, leaving them 12th in the table.
A controversial sending off for Bruno Fernandes did not help their cause but United were lacklustre with 11 players on the pitch and fell behind to Brennan Johnson's early opener.
Dejan Kulusevski added the second before Dominic Solanke rounded out a comfortable win for a Spurs side which rarely looked troubled.
Dominic Solanke pokes it home! ⚪ pic.twitter.com/VP5eueB2iF
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
A half-empty Old Trafford did not make a pretty sight for under pressure manager Ten Hag, with Jamie Redknapp giving a blunt assessment of the United manager following the game.
Rio Ferdinand blasts 'piss poor' Man United performance
Club legend turned pundit Ferdinand took to his social media to offer his reaction to what he had witnessed from his former side.
He cut a dejected figure on his 'Rio Reacts' YouTube series as he gave a damning assessment of what United had conjured up against their fellow Top 4 hopefuls.
This ain't a good story, this ain't a good vibe, this ain't a good reaction to an absolute piss poor performance I've got to be honest," Ferdinand stated.
"Powder puff. Embarrassing. There was no real idea it seemed... no real fight.
"Second-half there was a little bit of fight here and there but a distinct lack of quality.
"I could go on."
He is not the only club legend to have been left utterly dejected by United's performance, with Gary Neville cutting a similarly despondent figure on Sky Sports.
Neville labelled the first-half effort prior to Fernandes' red card 'absolutely disgusting' with the pressure ramping up even more on Ten Hag after the defeat.
There was an element of bad luck with the sending off and Fernandes gave an interview post-match to share his disbelief with his dismissal.
'I didn't take him with studs, I took him with my ankle," he told Sky Sports.
"It is a clear foul but never a red card, that is my feeling. He (James Maddison) said it is a foul but never a red card. That is what he said.
"For me it is a foul if he wants to give a yellow. The contact isn't that strong. It is a counter-attack, I agree.
"I can't understand why VAR does not call the referee to the screen. For me it is just not a really good decision."
Regardless, there had been little evidence from the home side that they were on course for a win and more questions are sure to be asked in the coming days.
