Alan Shearer slams Man United as  'b****y awful' and 'shambolic' after Tottenham defeat while Gary Lineker claims they look like 'lost souls' - as pundits rip into lack of identity under Erik ten Hag

Alan Shearer has branded Manchester United 'shambolic' and 'b****y awful' after their 3-0 pummelling by Tottenham at Old Trafford. 

Meanwhile, Gary Lineker has claimed the players look like 'lost souls', accusing them of 'getting worse' and lacking any regular play style. 

United sunk to a fresh low on Sunday night as they were outclassed by Spurs, going 1-0 down within three minutes and never looking in the game.

The result has piled enormous pressure on Erik ten Hag - who has now started this season as woefully as David Moyes did in 2013-14 - though he insists he is not fearing for his position. 

'Spurs were by miles the better team. They were up for it more than Man United were. They started really well, were the better team, and I thought Man United were shambolic, awful, and lucky to get away with three,' Shearer told The Rest Is Football. 

'What are they? Can anyone tell me: what are Man United? What is their system, what is their plan? Do they sit? Do they attack? Do they press? I haven't got a clue what they are. They're a mess.'

After Micah Richards claimed United were 'inconsistent,' Shearer hit back: 'Inconsistent? They're 12th in the league. That means they're not inconsistent - that means they're b****y awful. 

'The players have to take responsibility. They can't hide behind the manager. The manager takes all the flak every single week when a result goes against them. There's players out there where you say, "come on, is that the best you can give?"

'But on the other hand, when you look at what they gave in the cup final and what went on in the summer with them interviewing other managers, they've left him in an impossible position.

'As soon as it came out that they were speaking to other managers last year, they did not help him at all. It was virtually going to be impossible for him.  

'They've won the Carabao and the FA Cup, but in terms of being a force in the league, they're miles off. They're miles away. They've got no identity.'

United failed to learn their lesson from the FC Twente draw when, early on, they allowed Micky van de Ven to rampage through the midfield and set up Brennan Johnson for Spurs' opening goal.

The hosts offered nothing in a dismal first half and their hopes plummeted when captain Bruno Fernandes was contentiously sent off for a high challenge on James Maddison. 

Spurs turned the screw in the second half and came flying out of the blocks, with Dejan Kulusevski doubling their lead within two minutes of the restart before Dominic Solanke added the third. 

Lineker said: 'How many times have we said what is their plan, what is their way of playing, is their press, what triggers the press? Are they just a counter-attacking side? They were found wanting in every department. 

'There's no real improvement. It must be pretty grim being a Manchester United fan at the moment! 

'It's almost as if it's getting gradually worse. At the start of the season, in our predictions, none of us envisaged them getting much better this season. But even teams like Bournemouth and Brighton, you can see the way they play, you can see the organisation, the planning, the high press. You might look at Brighton and say "that's crazy, the high line," but at least it's a way of playing.

'Tottenham were brilliant. We all know they play that risk and reward style that Ange Postecoglou plays. They've got an identity in their style of play. You look at Manchester United and one week they'll try and press a little bit, another week they'll sit deep and try and counter. 

'They always seem to lose the midfield battle in most games that they play. And they tend to rely on an individual piece of magic from Bruno. They're miles off.

'They look like lost souls. Players need to know their role, what they do in certain situations, and for quite a considerable time, it doesn't look like they know their roles. That surely comes down to coaching. Footballers don't just go: "I'm not trying."

'It's hard to see him (Ten Hag) turning it round now.' 

Their comments echo the immediate reaction from other pundits, such as former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, who told Sky Sports United were 'disgusting' and played 'pub football'. 

Ten Hag faces a critical week ahead with a trip to Porto in the Europa League on Thursday before an outing at Aston Villa on Sunday. 

Richards took a slightly more sympathetic view towards the players and thinks they have showed some signs of improvement on their eighth-placed finish last season.  

He said: 'It's early doors. At the start of the season I thought there were signs of them having a system. Not a system that we would like, but compared to last season.

'When they won the FA Cup, you saw bits and pieces. Are they gonna put it all together? And then you watch the games and you're like, what is it that they're trying to do? They're just a team full of individuals. Normally you would look and say the players have to do a lot better, and they do, but I think this time we have to be looking at the manager and saying: ok, what is the game plan against any team?

'The results and performances this season have been below par.' 

'I can't believe what I'm seeing. They must be working on something on the training ground. I don't know if it's lack of confidence, lack of belief in the manager, but something is not right. It's getting worse.'