Erik ten Hag insists he's not Harry Potter - but Man Utd boss shouldn't need a magic wand to beat struggling Southampton

Tottenham fans used to sing that Mauricio Pochettino was magic, but Erik ten Hag has been very keen to point out that he is not. "It's not like I'm Harry Potter and that is what you have to acknowledge," the Dutchman said after his side's morale-sucking 3-0 defeat to Liverpool before the international break.

Pochettino was Ten Hag's closest rival for the Manchester United job in 2022 and was briefly considered as a potential successor when the Dutchman's future was in serious doubt last season. The Argentine had a sense of mystique about him and could have offered a more hopeful vision than Ten Hag, but that ship has sailed now as Pochettino has since been named as coach of the United States.

For now, the Red Devils have little choice but to keep faith with Ten Hag and trust that he can turn things around after another dismal start to the season. He has done a lot of lowering of expectations as United manager, such as saying his side could not play like his thrilling Ajax or ruling out their chances of challenging for the title.

Ten Hag's declaration that he is not Harry Potter, no miracle worker, is the latest example. So it is a good thing that United's next opponents are Southampton, the worst team in the Premier League. No magic wand should be required to get three points at St Mary's on Saturday, and thus if United cannot get a win, then really serious questions must be asked of their manager.