However, they picked up just one point away from home against any of the top nine and conceded six goals at Manchester City, and seven to Liverpool at Anfield, their worst top-flight defeat.

Not since the club was relegated from the old First Division in the 1970s has such a cloud hung over Old Trafford, and while the fallow years of the 1980s followed, the team is on course for its worst finish since the creation of the Premier League.

Eighth with three games remaining, they are on course to finish lower than the seventh place managed under David Moyes in 2013-14. A -3 goal difference, and 13 defeats also means United will end the season with the lowest number of points in more than 20 years.

So, how bad have the former treble winners been?

More lows than highs

The season has been a difficult watch for fans, with the club winning only four league matches by more than one goal.

In other competitions, their only victories by more than a goal have come against Palace in the Carabao Cup, and Wigan Athletic and Newport County in the FA Cup, a game in which they squandered a two-goal lead before eventually beating a side currently 18th in League Two 4-2.

Losing a lead

Relinquishing leads has been an all-too regular occurrence this campaign – a far cry from the late shows under Alex Ferguson.

In the Premier League, a 3-1 lead at Wolves became 3-3 late on before Kobbie Mainoo struck in stoppage time to earn a 4-3 win.

United weren’t as lucky against Chelsea last month where their 3-2 lead with 99 minutes on the clock somehow became a 4-3 defeat.

In the Champions League, they blew a 2-0 lead to lose 4-3 at minnows Copenhagen and were 3-1 up at Galatasaray only to draw 3-3.

Saving the worst for last, United reached the FA Cup final in possibly the most underwhelming fashion imaginable, blowing a 3-0 lead in the semi-finals against ninth-place Championship side Coventry City with 19 minutes remaining, only to eventually squeeze through on penalties.

Fergie time … for United’s opponents

Under Ferguson, United conceded a stoppage-time winner in the Premier League just once. Under Ten Hag, it’s happened three times this season alone.

As well as the aforementioned Chelsea defeat, United lost late on against Arsenal and, despite scoring an 89th-minute equaliser at home to Fulham, the Cottagers then went down the other end and grabbed a winner.

Moreover, United repeated that trick with a stoppage-time “winner” against Brentford, only to concede immediately after.

European nightmare

The Champions League was a nadir for Ten Hag after his side had fought so hard to qualify last season. United picked up just four points and lost four matches to finish bottom.

They conceded a total of 15 in the group, which is the most by a Premier League side in a single campaign in the competition’s history, and it wasn’t even a particularly difficult group.

Copenhagen, who finished second were dispatched 6-2 on aggregate by Man City in the last 16, while Galatasaray were eliminated at the hands of Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

Where are the goals?

In 2022-23, Ten Hag’s side scored 58 goals, a tally which has only ever been worsened once, so they spent a reported ­£72 million (HK$709 billion) on forward Rasmus Hojlund, only to see that total at 52 with three matches remaining.

Marcus Rashford scored a season-best 30 goals in all competitions last campaign but has followed that up a meagre eight in 2023-24.

At a loss

It’s not fair to compare anyone to Ferguson but, for context, the most defeats his United side ever suffered in a league campaign was nine, which happened twice.

The previous record was 12, under Moyes, but Monday’s chastening defeat at Palace was the 13th, and it could get far worse, with title-chasing Arsenal next up at Old Trafford. After that there will be a visit from Newcastle United and the a trip to Brighton & Hove Albion – all three teams have already beaten United this season.