Manchester United f.c.

Erik ten Hag changed Man United's style after the Brentford debacle and the change in approach has inspired improvement.

Somewhere in a parallel universe, Brentford did not humiliate United in August and Ten Hag stubbornly persisted with his Ajax-like approach, instead of realising it was not working and leaving his side hopelessly vulnerable to average opposition. The Dutchman wanted to control proceedings against Brighton and Brentford and it backfired. [Manchester City](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-city-fc) on Sunday and they will dominate possession. There have been many special Champions League nights when that has been the case. Ten Hag has managed Go Ahead Eagles, Bayern Munich II, Utrecht and Ajax and there were doubts about whether a coach with that CV would have the tactical acumen to succeed in the Premier League. The history of United also dictates this approach should be embraced, not shamed. That pragmatic approach worked and it has been used since. It was spirited, determined and the counter-attacks had been ruthlessly efficient. It is not impossible to overturn a two-goal advantage, but the players' body language, with the exception of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was shouting and gesturing from the halfway line, suggested they had already accepted their fate. Ronaldo has played at the Bernabeu, Nou Camp, San Siro and Vicente Calderon, and he was never going to be fazed by the 17,000-capacity Brentford Community Stadium. It's just a shame that his teammates were and they continued to capitulate in spectacular fashion, conceding another two goals before half-time. The players had to take responsibility, but