Erik ten Hag's team are falling apart around him and his grip on the Man United job is fading, writes MATT BARLOW after shambolic 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace

More than half a century has passed but Manchester United supporters of a certain vintage will remember an infamous five-goal thrashing at the hands of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park that proved to be Frank O’Farrell’s last match as manager.

They were finding it impossible to move on from the Sir Matt Busby era and little seemed about to change under O’Farrell so they sacked him and installed Tommy Docherty. Last night, back in Selhurst, Erik ten Hag watched his depleted team torn apart in similar fashion as a similar mood of inevitably settled over his tenure.

Ten Hag stood on the touchline, no club branding on his clothing, rumours of interest from Bayern Munich in the air as Oliver Glasner’s re-energised Palace romped to a 4-0 victory and the home crowd taunted him about getting sacked in the morning.

Michael Olise led the destruction with two goals. Jean-Phillippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell were also on target. Casemiro had two goals ruled out but this could quite easily have been more embarrassing for United.

They have won just two of their last 10 in the Premier League, and finish with home fixtures against Arsenal and Newcastle, and an FA Cup final at Wembley.

Ten Hag’s team falling apart around him and his grip on the job is fading.

Ten Hag was without his captain Bruno Fernandes, who has an ankle problem. It was, according to various statistical wizards, the first time Fernandes had missed a senior game through injury in his entire career. Although he has missed a couple through illness, including one for United.

Harry Maguire, who might have led the team out in his absence is also injured. The full extent of the casualty list was perhaps best illustrated by the two goalkeepers and four teenagers named among nine substitutes.

Casemiro took the armband and partnered Jonny Evans in the centre of defence. If it gave the back-four a patched-up look at kick-off it looked even worse when Olise sliced the experienced pair open to score the opening goal inside 13 minutes.

He collected the ball in midfield, eased away from Christian Eriksen on the turn, jinked past a reckless Casemiro tackle and advanced towards the United goal. All the other white shirts in the vicinity went into retreat.

Olise took it as an invitation to shoot and fired low past Andre Onana, his eight of the season in only 17 appearances, and he continued to create problems as he drifted inside from the right and found spaces between United’s full backs and Kobbie Mainoo, deepest in a midfield trio of little resistance with Eriksen and Mason Mount.

The Palace wing-backs sped forward with relish to link up with Olise and Eberechi Eze. An exchange of passes featuring Daniel Munoz on the right ended with an Olise shot crashing his teammate Mateta. Another effort by Olise was fired crisply, straight at Onana after a pass cut back by Tyrick Mitchell.

United’s keeper saved but they struggled to escape the pressure from the home team during this opening phase of the game. They did find the net from a corner, in the 27th minute, but referee Jarred Gillett ruled it out for a foul by Rasmus Hojlund, who barged into goalkeeper Dean Henderson as he jumped to take Casemiro’s header out of the sky.

It was the correct decision although Gillett seemed strangely reluctant to make it. Perhaps he needed time to digest all the information from all the sound and vision gadgetry about his body, including his body camera. At least the right decision was reached.

Palace scored the second, five minutes before half time, winning the ball with pressure on half way before central defender Chris Richards picked out Mateta, who left Evans standing with a change of pace and direction and crashed a rising shot past Onana at his near post.

For Mateta, it was the 10th goal of a wonderful purple patch of 14 games since the start of February.

For Ten Hag, a neat summary of the state of his team at half time. Two stalwarts in central defence, struggling with the speed and power of Palace’s attacking trio and exposed by a flimsy midfield, two of whom were woefully low on match action and the other still in his rookie season, offering no protection.

The frontline appeared incapable of holding up the ball for long enough to offer any respite and the wide players were of little help to the full backs behind them. Ten Hag sent on Sofyan Amrabat in an attempt to add some steel but nothing much changed.

Onana saved from Eze, the first of a series in the second half as he stopped Palace romping clear. There was another to deny Mitchell at the near post and one flying to his left to deny Hughes. Eze also slid a shot wide after a delightful flick by Olise.

Casemiro had a second goal ruled out. This time, just offside as he attacked a free-kick delivered by Eriksen. The Brazilian’s header hit the post and he tapped in the rebound but the flag went up.

Events might have turned had that goal been good, but Glasner’s team scored their third in the 58th minute from a short corner and a cross by Wharton, knocked back across his own goal by Diogo Dalot under pressure from Joachim Andersen and finished from close range by Mitchell.

Another United flurry saw Henderson save from Casemiro but Palace scored again, Olise’s second of the night, lashed past Onana after Casemiro lost the ball to Munoz deep.

Odsonne Edouard replaced Mateta and struck a post in stoppage time. It wasn’t five. The smallest of small mercies for Ten Hag.