From a blunter attack, leakier defence - how have Utd regressed under Ten Hag?

Tonight Manchester United will renew hostilities with Newcastle United, evoking memories of the teams' Carabao Cup final meeting back in February.

In front of an 87,000-strong crowd that day, goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford handing Manchester United victory.

Erik ten Hag had his first trophy since taking over and United fans were convinced that they finally had a man that could pave a trophy laden path back to domestic and European supremacy.

Up to and including that final Manchester United had a run of 40 games, with 20 times and six defeats. Fast forward to their Carabao Cup fourth round reunion at Old Trafford tonight and since Wembley it has been 36 games played, 20 wins and 13 defeats.

Times - and moods - have changed.

Pinpointing the exact reason, or reasons, behind the 17 per cent drop in win rate is not easy.

Injuries certainly have not helped.

Lisandro Martinez suffered a season-ending injury at the back end of last term against Sevilla, and United would go on to lose 7-0 at Liverpool the week after he went down.

He started the beginning of this season clearly still feeling the effects of that issue and he is now sidelined again. Losing the man affectionately nicknamed as 'The Butcher' from the backline, along with a prolonged absence for left back Luke Shaw, has made United much softer in defence.

A change in goalkeeper, with up and down form for Andre Onana since he succeeded David de Gea in goal, did little to stem the tide, either.

Rashford's form has nosedived since his 30-goal campaign - he scored just five goals in the entire run in following his Carabao Cup final game.

Add in a kit farce about it being too tight, Mason Mount falling into the abyss as the new star man, and Manchester United players fearing Ten Hag's abrupt approach is affecting squad harmony and you have a cocktail of trouble.

'At Manchester United, every game involves high stakes,' Ten Hag writes in tonight's matchday programme.

'Every single day, there is pressure on everybody involved with this club, but those demands and standards are a challenge which we must always meet head-on.

'While this has not been the start to the season that we had all hoped for, I am certain that we have the talent and attitude as a collective to move in the right direction.

'I believe that it is only a matter of time before we are showing our true selves. It will come, I am certain.'

It's a defiant message but how Ten Hag can be 'certain' that things will turn around given the evidence on the pitch has not, for a number of months now, backed it up, is quite something.

Just take goals scored as a metric to compare the two teams tonight.

This season alone in the league, Newcastle have scored 26 goals. Manchester United, by contrast, have 11.

United have also conceded five more (16) than Newcastle and so are leakier at the back and blunter up front. Losing their way should come as little surprise.

'There is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves at this moment in time,' Ten Hag adds in his programme notes.

'Nobody at this club enjoys defeat, particularly in a Manchester derby like last Sunday, but everything we have achieved together so far has been built on looking forward, which means we have to move on quickly from what happens, whether it is positive or negative.

'We have never spent too long enjoying our victories, so we will not spend too much time thinking about our losses. We must always look forward, together. I continue to believe in these players and am confident we will improve after a difficult start to the season.'

United currently sit eighth in the Premier League having lost five of their opening 10 matches and are outside the Champions League knock-out qualification places. Defeat to Newcastle tonight would extinguish one of their only realistic routes to a trophy this season.

And things are tense right now, as it often becomes when the winning stops.

Ten Hag has built a no-nonsense reputation since arriving at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022 - and has had issues with a number of players since his appointment, most recently banished £73m star Jadon Sancho.

The hardline Dutchman has been applauded for the way he has ruthlessly dealt with a number of issues involving high profile members of his squad over the past 18 months.

However, Mail Sport has learned that figures within the United squad believe Ten Hag's handling of certain individuals has had a negative impact on team togetherness.

Both sides are expected to make changes but United must use this competition as a way to shock life back into their ailing season - and for all their faults since winning it at Wembley that is not beyond the realms of possibility.

'I'm going to go for Manchester United,' Jamie Carragher told the EFL when asked for who he thinks goes through.

'I know United have got a lot of injuries at the moment, but I think if they can get a few back for that, they've still got a deeper squad than Newcastle.

'I think both teams will make changes, but I think home advantage and I think Manchester United will just get through.'

With Middlesbrough and Port Vale two of the teams already through, United must sense the opportunity and kickstart a new run that takes them all the way back to Wembley.