The team currently sit sixth in the Premier League table and have just finished bottom of the Champions League group stage. 24 matches have been played this season and half of them have been lost. The team is facing a serious injury crisis, with at least three players who performed well last season unavailable due to injury.
Tomorrow the team will face the Premier League leaders' arch-rivals, and it's an away game, having lost 7-0 in their last away game. In addition, the team's captain and midfielder B Ferre will be suspended for yellow cards.
In fact, Ten Hag is now facing considerable difficulties. Even if he doesn't worry about losing his position for the time being, just thinking about how to organize the squad against Liverpool is enough to give him a headache.
Players who may not be available for Manchester United tomorrow include:
Malacia (Knee Injury), Casemiro (Thigh/Hamstring Injury), Lima (Foot Injury), Christian Eriksen (Knee Injury), Mount (Calf Injury), Diallo (Knee Injury), Victor Lindelof (Recovery Unknown), Sancho (Decentralization), Anthony Martial (Illness), Marcus Rashford (Illness), Maguire (Groin Injury), Luke Shaw (Muscle Problems), B Fee (1-game suspension)
This leaves Ten Hag likely unable to adopt an overly complex pressing system and could return to man-to-man tactics.
For Liverpool, players who will not play due to injury include Joel Matip (Knee Injury), Thiago (Knee/Hip Problems), Robertson (Shoulder Injury), Bajcetic (Leg Problems) and Allister McAllister (Knee Injury), while Jota (Muscle Injury) is also likely to be unavailable.
United are currently facing a number of on-pitch problems, with high pressing being too ferocious, disrupting the balance of the squad and leaving too many holes in the midfield. Although there is a certain threat when switching attacks, he looks quite amateurish when switching offenses and defenses.
Ten Hag wants United to have players in every position with superior one-on-one ability, but the situation is that most of United's players are at risk of being beaten by their opponents.
Of course, United also have a choice: "If you can't match your opponent, then try to pull them to your level......"
If neither Harry Maguire nor Shaw pass a medical exam, then United will have to continue with the centre-back pairing they used against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in midweek.
The right wing-back could be replaced by Diogo Dalot, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka coming on, as the latter has a strong solo ability on the ground. Reguilon will guard the left. Both wing-backs are expected to be involved in the transition attack, while the wingers stay inside and are no longer sticking to the touchline as they did in some games at the start of the season.
Maynu, Amrabat and Mebri will form a midfield three, focusing on attacking and providing support at the back when necessary. After the switch from attacking to defending, the United players will no longer press high and will no longer try to defend their opponents one-on-one, so as not to be immediately counter-attacked after each goal conceded. They will try to maintain a tight 4-4-2 formation and keep it at the right time.
United also need to secure space in the middle of the pitch and push on the counter-attack as much as possible when they have the chance. They should pay special attention to the space behind Arnold. Ten Hag is a bit stretched thin in terms of personnel selection due to the severity of the injury, how should United set up their starting line-up to avoid another humiliation on the road?