But there’s still hope for the future. United still has a chance to win the FA Cup and will be pushing for European football.

This will be made ever the more easier with the fact Ten Hag has a lot of his first-team squad back under his wing heading into the remainder of the campaign.

Nedum Onuoha on Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United

United had a lot of their returning players come back against Newport County in the FA Cup on Sunday night. The likes of Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire all got minutes on the board.

Former Manchester City star Nedum Onuoha spoke with BBC Sounds Football Daily Podcast following the game and stated that despite the opposition, Ten Hag and his players will now be feeling optimistic about the rest of the season.

“The manager will have belief now. He looks at his team now and he sees many more players coming back in. The likes of Shaw, the likes of Casemiro, and say, the back four that played today, that is the one he’s been itching for all season. Well, it’s here now.”

Manchester United’s back four will seriously help… if they can stay fit

Diogo Dalot, Martinez, Maguire and Shaw will probably be the best back-line Ten Hag can draft together for the rest of the season.

Martinez was absolutely quality at Newport, as was Shaw. They bring so much stability and assurance to the United side.

If they can stay fit, this back four is capable of producing big things. However, the ‘if’ is monumental in this statement.