Coach Erik ten Hag fielded the 14th central defensive pairing in the match against Crystal Palace on Monday evening. It was surprising to see Manchester United struggle to achieve stability and witness a defensive chaos of the century.

Coach Erik ten Hag hasn’t had much to smile about this season. The 0-4 defeat against A. Palace on Monday was described by him as the “lowest point of the season.” It was a match where Man United started with the central defensive duo of 36-year-old Jonny Evans partnered with midfielder Casemiro in the heart of their defense. This was the 14th defensive pairing used this season, which means they have changed their central defensive partnership almost every three matches.

Only Luton Town, a team plagued by injuries in the central defensive position, has used more different central defensive combinations in the Premier League this season (17 times). Naturally, the consequence is evident: Rob Edwards’ team is on its way back to the Championship immediately.

To compare, Arsenal has used only three different central defensive pairings throughout the season.

First and foremost, it must be said that Ten Hag has encountered terrible luck with the fitness of his central defenders. Evans was signed on a free transfer the night before the start of the season last summer, primarily as a backup, like a supplementary defender for first-team players as well as for his experience and leadership qualities for the younger members of the team. Few could have predicted that he would play this much. Only Harry Maguire (18 matches) and Raphael Varane (16) have started more matches as central defenders for Man United this season than Evans (13).

Varane and Evans have started more matches together than any other pairing, but even then, they have only played together six times. The other pairings, Maguire-Varane, Varane-Lisandro Martinez, and Maguire-Evans, have all started four matches together.

Varane and Martinez were supposed to be the first-choice central defensive pairing under Ten Hag’s reign, but the Dutch coach could only field them together in 11% of Premier League matches, which is a clear indication of the challenges he has faced this season.

Furthermore, if Evans’ role is somewhat predictable since he is a specialist central defender, the fact that players like Willy Kambwala, Luke Shaw, and Casemiro have played together eight times in the heart of Man United’s defense is truly unimaginable. A team on the path to reclaiming its glory, with no shortage of funds, has left a chaotic situation in a vulnerable area that desperately needs upgrading. Consequently, for many, Coach Ten Hag no longer has any excuses. Man United has now lost 13 matches in the league this season, the most in a season since 1989-90. With 18 defeats across all competitions, this is their worst campaign since 1977-78. They have also conceded 81 goals across all competitions, the highest in a season since 1976-77.

Injuries certainly play a role, but there needs to be a reasonable discussion about the exact reason why Man United has encountered so many injuries in the central defensive position. For example, is there poor recruitment for that position, with too many injury-prone players being signed, or are there issues with training schedules and workload for the players? Ultimately, many of the injuries they have faced are due to training rather than matches.

There are also tactical issues and the responsibility of the coaching staff. Man United has played too openly this season, making it easy for opponents to disrupt their game plan. Only the bottom-placed team, Sheffield United (17.9 shots per game), has allowed opponents to take more shots per game in the Premier League this season than Ten Hag’s team (17.7).

From one mistake to another, Coach Ten Hag deployed Casemiro as a central defender, despite him not having the required skills. The Brazilian midfielder was dribbled past seven times during the 90 minutes at Selhurst Park on Monday, the highest in any Premier League match this season and more than three times the number of any other central defender in a single match. If it was the case that Man United had no one else to replace him and had to play someone like Casemiro as a central defender, then Ten Hag should have made adjustments, done more to prevent his “makeshift” central defensive pair from being exploited. They can’t give opponents a weakness without having any plan to counteract it.

Now, the central defensive area will be the deciding factor for Ten Hag’s future at the club. Man United can still end the season with a trophy if they overcome Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley later this month. There is a possibility that Varane, Martinez, Lindelof, and Shaw will be present for the final. This may make planning for the final even more challenging for Ten Hag, but it could also be his stroke of luck.