Champions League? Man Utd will be lucky to avoid the Conference League if Erik ten Hag doesn't realise he's got massive issues to resolve in the final weeks of the season

On the surface, a draw against Klopp's in-form Liverpool was a positive result for United, but it actually completed a nightmare week that saw them lose serious ground on fourth-placed Tottenham. Ten Hag's men had to settle for a point at Brentford after seeing Mason Mount's stoppage-time goal cancelled out, somehow lost at Chelsea despite holding a 3-2 lead after 99 minutes, and once again failed to see out a vital win at the weekend.

United do still have a game in hand on Aston Villa, who occupy what is likely to be an extra Champions League spot for the Premier League in fifth, but Unai Emery's side only need 11 points from their final six games to stave off the Red Devils. And even if they do manage to cut the gap, Villa's goal difference is superior.

The FA Cup remains a route to salvation for United. Europa League qualification will be the reward if they go all the way, and they will be expected to at least reach the final after being handed a favourable last four draw against Coventry City. But it's entirely possible that they will end up falling short, especially with Manchester City or Chelsea awaiting in the showpiece at Wembley.

United cannot afford to put all their eggs in that basket, as the likes of West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea are queuing up to steal sixth place away from them. Dropping as low as seventh means Conference League football next season, and that would be a fatal blow for Ten Hag. The question is: how does he stop United's slide?

"What do we want to be? That is, we want to be the best transition team in the world. We want to surprise.” Ten Hag laid down his blueprint for success at United last summer, after guiding them to third in the Premier League and delivering their first trophy in five years. And with Alejandro Garnacho, Rasmus Hojlund and Kobbie Mainoo leading their charge, that goal has been achieved to an extent, as very few teams have been able to cope with the Red Devils' pace on the counter.

The problem is, they've been absolutely awful in defence. The midfield presses high while the back four sits deep in a low block, which leaves acres of space for the opposition to take advantage of.

This nonsensical approach has forced Andre Onana into action far too often, with United giving up 20 or more shots in eight of their last nine Premier League outings. Liverpool managed 28 at Old Trafford, and 34 against United in the 0-0 draw at Anfield back in December, while bottom-half Brentford had 31 in the shockingly one-sided meeting between the two sides at the Gtech Stadium on March 30.

They simply cannot continue in this vein. The post-Sir Alex Ferguson era has been littered with disappointment, but there has never been a United side quite so easy to play against as Ten Hag's current iteration.

Incredibly, Ten Hag insisted that United are "improving" after the draw with Liverpool, as he talked up the "amazing potential" of his young squad. It's one thing to defend your players, but the Dutchman has come across as oblivious at best and completely ignorant at worst when facing up to the media.

When was the last time United outplayed anyone? And how many times have they got themselves into strong positions, only to gift opponents a way back into the game?

It feels like Ten Hag is the only one who can't see the glaring weaknesses that his managerial counterparts are looking to exploit week after week. Even Gary Neville, who gave David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer more leeway than most other observers when results and performances took a turn for the worse, has been unable to get his head around Ten Hag's tactical approach.

"Against Liverpool, the same bad habits, the same bad structure, the same defensive errors and the same gaps in midfield," the United legend told Sky Sports. "They were all there, but there is still a level of effort and desire. It is baffling, some of the things you see. There are parts of the team where you do wonder what is going on in the coaching aspect during the week and what Ten Hag's instruction is.

"It's very, very strange to see. No other team in the league plays as badly out of possession as they do. They are such an odd team to watch. It's fun at times, entertaining, but mad."

United's midfield woes have been underpinned by the alarming decline of Brazil international Casemiro - the five-time Champions League winner who set the club back a staggering £70 million ($88m) less than 18 months ago. It may be necessary for them to accept a major loss on that investment this summer, given the 32-year-old now looks a shadow of the all-conquering player he was in his prime at Real Madrid.

This version of Casemiro wouldn't get in the starting XI at any other top European club. Ten Hag is seemingly letting him survive on the strength of his past reputation, because he is offering absolutely nothing to the collective cause.

The veteran midfielder played the full 90 minutes against Liverpool, despite Christian Eriksen being among the substitutes, and completed just 67 percent of his passes in the game - the worst of any player in the starting XI. He also lost possession on 16 occasions as the visitors targeted his ageing legs.

Scott McTominay is currently out injured, and if Ten Hag doesn't trust Eriksen to start, then it would be logical to at least try Mason Mount in a holding role alongside Mainoo, because Casemiro is definitely not up to it.

Attackers across the continent once feared the Brazilian, but now they are dribbling past him with ease, and he clearly can't keep up with the pace of Premier League matches anymore. If Ten Hag doesn't recognise that a change is necessary at his point, then United have no chance of ending their miserable season on a high.

Ten Hag must take the majority of the blame for United's current plight, but he does at least deserve credit for promoting the club's younger talent. He had the foresight to fast-track Garnacho and Mainoo, and has also brought through promising young defender Willy Kambwala, albeit mainly because of depleted options at the back.

Mainoo hit his second Premier League goal of the season against Liverpool, and it was a thing of beauty, as he did his best impression of United cult hero Federico Macheda to steer the ball into the far corner of the net after picking it up with his back to goal. Garnacho, meanwhile, has nine goals to his name from 41 appearances in all competitions, including a stunning overhead kick against Everton that is likely to win him the coveted Puskas Award.

They are probably the two most important players in the United squad already, which highlights their prodigious talent, but steps must be taken to ensure that they realise their potential. Marcus Rashford was in a similar position when he broke into the first team nine years ago, but has never had the right manager to push him, or world-class team-mates to help elevate his game.

So far, Mainoo and Garnacho appear to be more level-headed than Rashford, who hasn't shown a strong enough mentality to reach the top of the game, but they will also need guidance. At the moment, Ten Hag is asking his prized young pair to shoulder too much responsibility because of a lack of quality around them.

Mainoo was tasked with man-marking Alexis Mac Allister against Liverpool, but struggled as he also had to cover for Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes as they shirked their defensive duties. Repeating that experience could have a damaging effect on the 18-year-old's confidence, and Garnacho is in a similar boat as he shoulders the burden of carrying United's threat going forward.

United have five days to regroup before facing Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, where they will be aiming to avenge a shocking 3-0 loss at Old Trafford from the first half of the season. Ten Hag needs to ensure his team don't fall lower than sixth, and only a win will do against the Cherries, with Newcastle, Arsenal and Brighton still to play before the end of the season.

But no one would be surprised if Bournemouth record another thumping victory. Ex-Red Devils captain Roy Keane perfectly captured the general consensus on his old club after the Liverpool game, telling Sky Sports: "The way Man United are playing is like a mid-table team, a small club. You don't know what you're going to get."

Individual brilliance has bailed United out on numerous occasions this season. They would definitely be sitting in mid-table had it not been for Garnacho, Hojlund and Mainoo conjuring up match-winning moments to paper over the cracks.

Ten Hag has repeatedly stressed the importance of high standards, but doesn't appear to lay down the law behind the scenes, and never gives an accurate picture after bad results. He comes across as a small-club manager, and that has translated to his players, who have lost all direction under his leadership.

If United don't qualify for the Europa League or win the FA Cup, then INEOS won't let Ten Hag oversee the start of their new era as minority owners. This is his last chance, and all the evidence available suggests he will blow it, leaving a huge mess for his successor to clear up in 2024-25.