The locker room shakes, screams from two players after United conceded 4 goals in the first 45′! Ten Hag silent

Manchester United’s four-game winning streak in the Premier League had fooled its fans – and perhaps the team and manager too – long ago that the poor start to the season was just a memory. The humiliating 6-3 defeat of City in the derby took care to bring everyone back down to earth and make it clear that the distance to the ‘cousins’ and in general to English and European football, is very real and huge. …
The sad departure of the Red Devils fans at half-time illustrates better than any other image where the frustration has gone to Manchester’s once-dominant bench. In the same minutes, between the first and second halves, a psychodrama was staged in the bowels of the Etihad Stadium that made the walls of the United dressing room tremble, with two players – self-proclaimed leaders – raising their voices to their team-mates by take the place of Erik ten Hag.
It was newcomer Lisandro Martinez and captain Bruno Fernandes who hit back at the team, accusing them of not believing in themselves. At that point the score was 4-0, thanks to two goals in the first half from Haaland and Foden, who would then score another goal in the second half. Martinez and Fernandes’ screams were so loud – the Sun reveals – that they were clearly heard by City staff outside the visitors’ dressing room.
The blowout, however, served something, as in the second half United showed signs of life, scoring 3 goals with Antony and Martial (wax for the Frenchman, who ten Hag put in on 59′ instead of Rashford preferring him to Ronaldo, stayed on the bench the whole time). Small consolation, as the final score of 6-3 remains a deadly result.
The Red Devils now face a Europa League tie away at Omonia Nicosia on Thursday, a fixture not to be missed in light of the opening defeat at home to Real Sociedad, which was followed by success in Moldova against Sheriff Tiraspol. It is likely that in Cyprus Ronaldo will find himself back on the pitch from the start, not exactly the stage the five-time Ballon d’Or was hoping for at the end of his career.