Ineos told they are setting themselves up for a fall after making major Man United statement

Former Liverpool forward Robbie Fowler has taken aim at Manchester United and believes that they are a club with 'no identity' following their disappointing start to the season.

United have won just three of their opening nine matches in all competitions. They started with a resolute 1-0 win over Fulham but followed that up with back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Liverpool.

A 3-0 success at Southampton and a 7-0 thumping of Barnsley came after the September international break, but results have dipped since. United drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace and were held to a 1-1 draw with FC Twente before losing 3-0 against Tottenham last weekend. Erik ten Hag's side may have fought back to claim a 3-3 draw at Porto in the Europa League, but United are now four without a win.

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United will aim to end that rotten run when they travel to Aston Villa on Sunday - a game with huge significance for both teams. Ahead of the clash at Villa Park, Fowler has ripped into United and explained why he hasn't seen any improvement since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.

He told The Mirror: "Manchester United have apparently launched Project 150 - a plan to win the Premier League trophy to celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary in style in 2028. Talk about setting yourselves up for a fall.

"There’s nothing wrong with aiming for the stars - especially when you are a club with the stature and history of United. But the OId Trafford club are so far behind the top teams in the country that only the most blinkered Stretford Ender would genuinely believe that they will close the gap in the space of four years - just because the ambition comes with a nice little soundbite.

"It’s not as if Erik ten Hag’s team have produced any kind of evidence to suggest that they are narrowing the current gulf in class. If anything, it's getting bigger."

Fowler added: "There’s nothing wrong with thinking big. That’s what the United supporters would expect from any new co-owner. But all the talk falls flat when you see United so uninspired on the pitch in what is the manager's third season in charge."

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