Man Utd's away-day BLACKOUTS could cost Erik ten Hag's team a top-four finish

It's a great time to have a United season ticket, as Ten Hag's side are unbeaten at Old Trafford in all competitions since early-September.

They have the third-best home record in the Premier League, with 11 wins from 15 matches and only one defeat, in their opening match against Brighton.

United's impressive home results have taken them to Carabao Cup glory and the semi-finals of the FA Cup as well as the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

They have also enjoyed hugely satisfying league wins over Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal, plus memorable European triumphs over Barcelona and Real Betis.

However, it's an entirely different story on their travels, where they have won only 11 of 20 games, and suffered some traumatic defeats along the way.

Ten Hag's side's worst away results have come in the Premier League, beginning with their shock 4-0 thrashing at Brentford in August, their second game of the campaign.

Hope that they might have turned a corner with narrow 1-0 wins at Southampton and Leicester were sent crashing by the embarrassing 6-3 loss at Manchester City in October.

The team gave a decent response to the debacle at the Etihad Stadium and salvaged a late 1-1 draw at Chelsea, a place they have always found tough to go.

But given how bad the Blues have been this season, on reflection a draw at Stamford Bridge feels like an opportunity missed.

United soon enough sank to another disappointing away defeat, losing 3-1 at struggling Aston Villa in Unai Emery's first game in charge.

United earned back-to-back away wins at Fulham and Wolves either side of the World Cup, with the help of last-minute winners from Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford, respectively.

But they had the familiar feeling of away disappointment in two trips to London in January, conceding an injury-time equaliser to draw 1-1 with Crystal Palace.

And then, three days later at Arsenal, they were sunk by another last-gasp goal as Eddie Nketiah clinched a 3-2 win for the Gunners.

Their travelling band of away fans did enjoy the hard-fought 2-0 win at Leeds in February, which they followed up with an impressive 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou.

But everything fell to pieces in their next away game, the historic 7-0 humiliation at Anfield.

It was the club's heaviest defeat since 1931 and their joint-worst result of all time.

Usually robust characters like Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez melted as Liverpool smelt blood, and Bruno Fernandes was at his petulant worst.

Ten Hag was furious with the players' lack of fight and courage, declaring: "I don't think it's Manchester United."

But, looking at the previous away results this season, it was perhaps not that surprising.

The visit to an in-form Newcastle side fired up by the Carabao Cup final defeat and by Ten Hag's complaints that they were "annoying" was always going to be tough.

A daunting trip was made even more difficult without the suspended Casemiro, and Newcastle controlled the match from the first minute to the last.It was a miracle that the Magpies did not score until the 65th minute, such was their dominance.

You could even make the case that this was United's worst performance of the season as they never looked in the game.

At least at Anfield they had a good first half, while at the Etihad they at least got some late consolation goals.

This was an abject 90 minutes, with Ten Hag, Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez all admitting the team lacked passion and energy.

One positive aspect of United's away form is the fact that they respond well to the many hidings they have taken on their travels. Every away Premier League defeat has been followed by a win in their next match.

Leaving aside those six demoralising losses, they have conceded only three goals in their other eight matches. They have also won at notoriously difficult grounds for them in the past, such as Elland Road and Goodison Park.

In terms of points, Ten Hag's side have the seventh-best away record in the league. All in all, it's not that bad, is it?..

The reality is, United's defensive record away from home is worse than many teams fighting relegation.

In their six away defeats in the Premier League, United have conceded a whopping 25 goals.

The 29 goals they have let in on their travels give them the fifth-worst away defensive record in the league – Everton, Southampton and West Ham have conceded fewer times, while only Leicester, Leeds, Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have shipped more.

And it is worth pointing out that United have really struggled when visiting the teams in the top half of the table. United have beaten only one team in the top 12 away from home – thanks to a late winner at Fulham. And of their six away wins, five of them have come against the bottom eight. That is a real concern looking at their remaining away fixtures.

After facing relegation-fighting Forest, the Red Devils visit Tottenham in a crucial showdown to finish in the top-four.

In May, they will play their postponed match away to Brighton, who have a real chance of qualifying for Europe.

They then go to Bournemouth and West Ham, which are, in theory at least, more comfortable assignments. But, like Forest, they will likely be fighting for their lives to avoid relegation.

So, if you thought a top-four finish was all but guaranteed, think again.

Unless they can halt a season-long trend of poor away results, Ten Hag's side will need to pick up every point they can at Old Trafford to secure a return to the Champions League next season.