United went ahead at the Etihad Stadium through Marcus Rashford, with the England international unleashing an unstoppable shot that sailed into the top corner.

It was exactly what the England international needed after coming out fighting in midweek, blasting critics of his performances and commitment in the process.

But City then upped the ante and, when they did, there was only ever going to be one winner.

Phil Foden was majestic for Pep Guardiola's side, leading to the Spaniard to hail the midfielder as the best player in the Premier League on current form.

Foden bagged twice and Erling Haaland got on the scoresheet, too, as City's menacing machine clicked through the gears.

While United didn't lose heavily to City, it's still clear the two teams are lightyears apart. The red side of Manchester is struggling while the blue moon continues to rise.

And Ten Hag looked powerless to prevent his side from falling to defeat.

While United were expected to lose to City, 11 league defeats to their name is a damning statistic.

The truth is the club haven't performed well in many matches this season, even in fixtures they've won.

And Ten Hag looks increasingly out of his depth as United continue to fall away from the chasing pack, for all his insistence that his side are making progress.

For now, his job is safe. Yet there's talk of Graham Potter or Thomas Tuchel coming in and that isn't likely to go away any time soon.

United are a shadow of the side they used to be.

GB News now takes a look at five reasons why the board should twist, rather than stick, as Ten Hag's tenure continues to underwhelm.

Reason One: Results

Let's start with the obvious.

Losing 11 league games with 12 left to play is shambolic, especially when you consider the amount of money the club have spent.

United were abysmal in the Champions League as well, while their defence of the Carabao Cup was ended ruthlessly by Newcastle at the start of November.

Football is a results business.

Bluntly put, Ten Hag hasn't good enough good ones to justify remaining in the dugout.

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Reason Two: Poor performances

As touched on above, United have not convinced at all this season.

Their nervy 1-0 defeat to Wolves in their first game of the season has set the tone, with the Red Devils fortunate to secure all three points in that match.

United just don't control games. They remain as chaotic and topsy-turvy as the days when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ruled the roost.

They concede so many shots it's a miracle their goal difference isn't even worse than the -2 it currently is.

For that reason, it's no wonder there's scrutiny on Ten Hag's shoulders. There's no style of play either, even after 18 months of being at Old Trafford.

Reason Three: Top players regressing

​Make no mistake about it, United's squad isn't good enough to win the Premier League title.

But they still have A-listers who, on their day, are capable of stepping up and producing when it matters.

The problem for Ten Hag is, however, that United's biggest stars have gone backwards this term.

Rashford has regressed alarmingly, despite his stunning goal against City. The same can be said for Casemiro, too, who was one of their best players last season.

Bruno Fernandes looks an imposter from the player that initially electrified the Premier League under Solskjaer, while Raphael Varane no longer resembles the same player he was during his time at Real Madrid.

Managers are meant to improve players. There hasn't been enough of that.

Reason Four: Signings not good enough

United have backed Ten Hag to the hilt.

Players such as Casemiro, Andre Onana, Antony, Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat were all recruited because the Dutchman wanted them.

How Solskjaer and predecessors such as Jose Mourinho and Louis van Gaal must wish they got similar backing during their stints in charge.

Ten Hag's eye for talent is in question. The five players mentioned above have failed to impress this season and the 54-year-old must shoulder responsibility.

Rasmus Hojlund is the exception to the rule, while Lisandro Martinez performed well last season.

Still, there's no denying United have squandered too much cash on individuals who simply aren't up to scratch.

Reason Five: There are some top bosses available

United could be tempted to sack Ten Hag because of the calibre of some of the managers who are available.

Tuchel will be a free agent come the summer having agreed to leave Bayern Munich following a turbulent time at the Allianz Arena.

Potter isn't quite in the same league but remains highly-rated, despite his poor spell at Chelsea.

Antonio Conte would go against United's ideals but is a serial winner whose trophy record speaks for itself.

And there's Hansi Flick and Julen Lopetegui to consider, too.