Manager slams players and De Gea publicly apologises for his howlers

this you can’t win a game,’ said Ten Hag. ‘It’s difficult for me, it’s surprising when you start a game like this. The team has to take responsibility, switch on from the first whistle and be ready for a battle.

‘You have to take responsibility on the pitch as a team and as individuals and that’s what we didn’t do. But the manager is responsible as well.’

De Gea was devastated at his error for Brentford’s opener and also his part in the short goal-kick routine which allowed Jensen to pick former Bees’ ace Christian Eriksen pocket for the second.

‘I cost three points for my team,’ said the Spanish goalkeeper. ‘I should save the first shot.’

Worryingly for United fans, when asked how the team get themselves out of the hole they have dug, he answered: ‘Not sure.’

He continued: ‘All we can do is continue to work hard.’

Neville, who was part of many successful United sides under former boss Sir Alex Ferguson, has been savage about United lately and especially the running of the club by the maligned Glazer family. He pulled no punches once again.

‘They’ve been mauled,’ he stormed on Sky TV last night. ‘It’s like a men’s team against under-nines. If you thought it couldn’t get any lower, it just has.’

That’s four straight league defeats for United from the end of last season and the start of this — that last happened in 1979 — and they’ve been hit for four or more seven times in the past ten months.

‘Manchester United players have proved under three different managers have shown they don’t run hard enough,’ moaned Neville.

‘They are drained of confidence. They need help. Today is a new

low. It seems like United can continually surpass their lows. The reality is this is really, really bad.

‘I’ve been watching United for 42 years and I can’t think when it’s been as bad as it was in that first half. The impact of that first half will be devastating for the players.’

Brentford converted their first four shots on target and coach Thomas Frank said he hoped his team would get the credit they deserved for a dazzling display in the boiling London sunshine.

‘I was very pleased, very proud of the performance,’ said the Dane.

‘To beat Manchester United 4-0 — the biggest club in the world, world-class players — makes some remarkable memories for the Brentford fans here. It’s crazy. In some way unreal.

‘It’s no surprise that we win today because I know we’re good. Maybe it wasn’t a 4-0 game. We deserved to win, but it wasn’t a 4-0. I really hope that people look into our performance and give us credit.’