• Defeat by Galatasaray the team’s sixth this season
• Club sympathetic regarding injury problems

Erik ten Hag’s position as Manchester United manager is secure for the foreseeable future and is not an issue up for discussion by the club executive.

Despite a dismal run of early-season form featuring six defeats from 10 games, including Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League defeat by Galatasaray, Ten Hag retains the firm confidence of the hierarchy, who view the Dutchman as the right manager to take the side forward in the long term, the Guardian understands.

A Champions League defeat by Galatasaray at Old Trafford is par for the course at a club where the only energy is dark energy

The great thing about hitting rock bottom, Hollywood movies are fond of pointing out, is that there is only one way left to go. But there is another option. Hollywood movies: meet Manchester United. Too big to fail properly, but somehow still managing to fail all the same.

Perhaps the most brutal part of this night of calamitous, football‑style activity from the United defence and midfield at Old Trafford was the moments of hope in between, scattered like flowers in the rain.

• ‘We fight together … we will do better,’ says manager
• Manager backs keeper after mistakes against Galatasaray

Erik ten Hag has insisted Manchester United have the spirit and togetherness to emerge from their early season crisis after it deepened on Tuesday night with a 3‑2 home defeat against Galatasaray in the Champions League.

United led twice through Rasmus Højlund but fell apart to lose in the closing stages, when the visiting striker Mauro Icardi also missed a penalty; Casemiro was sent off after conceding it.

Welcome to hell: Manchester United’s notorious introduction to Galatasaray from 1993 has a new twist. Back then, it was an away goals defeat in Istanbul that knocked United out of the Champions League, their players knocked about by the local constabulary during a post-match fight in the tunnel.

Here, it was a continuation of the agonies of the season, Erik ten Hag’s players doing plenty to raise the hopes of their fans. In particular Rasmus Højlund, who twice put United in front, his second a beautiful mix of pace from the halfway line and composure in front of goal.

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We’re under way at Old Trafford, United in red shirts and black shorts, Galatasaray in all white.

In Tuesday’s early matches, Braga came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Union Berlin with Andre Castro’s late winner shaking things up in Group C. Elsewhere, Real Sociedad won 2-0 at Salzburg to go top of Group D.

Wilfried Zaha says he was never going to let his Manchester United struggles kill his career as the Galatasaray star prepares to step out at Old Trafford in the Champions League. The forward was the final signing made by long-serving manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with the Red Devils agreeing a £15m deal for the Crystal Palace talent in January 2013. Ferguson, however, called time on his medal-laden reign before Zaha linked up with United that summer and the Ivory Coast international was never able to make an impact in the north-west. When questioned about his unhappy spell the club ahead of his return Zaha said: 'I'll be honest, when you look at my face do you think I am bothered at all? No.'

• Wilfried Zaha back at Old Trafford to make his mark in Champions League

• Ineos founder hopes move will end the drawn-out sale process
• Stake of 25% would allow Glazer family to retain majority control

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is considering changing his bid and buying a minority stake in Manchester United, according to reports. The Ineos founder, who had attempted to buy Chelsea last year, and Sheikh Jassim made offers to buy United in February.

A lengthy takeover saga has followed with numerous bids entered by both Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, and Sheikh Jassim, but no progress has been made over any potential change of ownership from the Glazer family, who announced in November they were open to selling the club.

Galatasaray winger insists he is ‘not bothered’ about unhappy spell at Manchester United and is ready to dazzle on his return

Many will claim Wilfried Zaha is returning to Old Trafford on Tuesday night with a point to prove after spending two-and-a-half forgettable years as a Manchester United player. But it was hard for the winger to show what he was capable of when he was afforded 167 minutes of action.

Zaha is part of the Galatasaray squad aiming to inflict more misery on United. The winger made the somewhat surprising move to Istanbul in the summer at the end of his Crystal Palace contract. There were offers from across the continent and Saudi Arabia but Zaha had his mind set on the Champions League and a new challenge in Turkey.

Half of the Premier teams are part- or fully-owned by Americans or US companies. Fans’ suspicions are understandable

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It’s just over a year since Gary Neville declared US owners of English soccer clubs “a clear and present danger to the pyramid and fabric of the game”. The comment provoked a furore but the former England full-back turned high-profile pundit was unrepentant, insisting that if profit is the priority, there are vital aspects of the roles of soccer clubs that risk being lost.

The issue, clearly, is not restricted to US owners. It’s unlikely that anybody who is not a fan who takes over a club is going to be acting primarily in the best interests of the community it represents. But given half the 20 Premier League clubs (and seven of the 24 Championship clubs) are part- or fully-owned by Americans or US companies, and given the prevalence of private equity companies whose sole interest is short-term profit, it’s perhaps not surprising that it was Americans who drew Neville’s ire, particularly given the chaos induced by the Glazer family at Manchester United, the club for which he used to play.

• Ten Hag confirms winger may play in Champions League fixture
• Antony training again amid assault allegations, which he denies

Erik ten Hag has confirmed Antony will be available for selection when Manchester United host Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Brazil winger returned to training on Sunday following a leave of absence granted by the club after accusations of violence were made against the player by three women. Antony denies all allegations against him.

Richarlison takes the eye while City and United have problems to solve after a series of Saturday surprises

Pre-season is supposedly a duff barometer of the campaign ahead. The main aim is to gain fitness and audition systems of play versus opposition preparing for their own season. Manchester United usually return from the summer money-spinners with a winning record and conscious that the real stuff of the Premier League is about to begin. Yet in the US this summer, Erik ten Hag’s side won only the first game, against Arsenal, and lost to Wrexham, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid: to this observer, United’s form was a genuine warning of a misfiring unit and, so far, it has duly struggled - badly. Rasmus Højlund is an apt shorthand for United’s problems: the £64m striker was again starved of chances against Crystal Palace. This has to improve – fast. Jamie Jackson

Erik ten Hag will have to discard the buzzword Manchester United’s manager came into this game citing. “Momentum” is now obliterated after a defeat that ends a run of victories at two as, yet again, his men must regroup, this time for Galatasaray’s visit on Tuesday in the Champions League.

United have lost four of their seven first league games. This last occurred in 1989-90, the season in which the infamous “Ta Ra Fergie” banner was held up at a match in December to demand that Alex Ferguson be sacked. The Scot was not, of course, but Ten Hag will know he has to stem the serial losses or his job will be in danger; his team have scored a paltry seven times and have a goal difference of minus four.

• Winger to rejoin training next week and be available to play
• Erik ten Hag says he will assess Brazilian’s ‘mental status’

Erik ten Hag will assess Antony’s mental state when the winger resumes training on Saturday with regard to playing for Manchester United next week after allegations of violence, which the Brazilian denies.

On Friday the club announced Antony would again be part of Ten Hag’s first-team plans after a leave of absence to deal with the allegations. The player will train at the club’s Carrington base on Saturday, on the day United host Crystal Palace, and whether he will be in contention for Tuesday’s home Champions League fixture with Galatasaray will depend on his readiness.

Son Heung-min’s work speaks for itself, Palace visit Old Trafford again and Brentford hit a bump in the road

If Aston Villa’s defeat to Everton in midweek told us anything, it was perhaps that Unai Emery’s reserves are not as rich as first thought. Robin Olsen does not seem to strike anywhere near the same confidence into the back line as Emiliano Martínez and Leander Dendoncker and Youri Tielemans looked sluggish. Jhon Durán, who has impressed in cameos, endured a forgettable 48 minutes. The cavalry – Ollie Watkins, Boubacar Kamara and Martínez – will be back at home to Brighton on Saturday and at least a quick turnaround gives Villa a chance to shake off the pain of an unusually sloppy showing. Ben Fisher

Aston Villa v Brighton, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Manchester United v Crystal Palace, Saturday 3pm

Bournemouth v Arsenal, Saturday 3pm

Everton v Luton, Saturday 3pm

Spaniard may quit if major club does not come calling but Van der Sar made unlikely move aged 30 and it led to Old Trafford

As David de Gea contemplates retirement at 32 should no major club come calling, he might wish to study the CV of the No 1 he replaced at Manchester United in summer 2011 before taking any decision.

De Gea, who left United as a free agent in July, is minded to prolong his career only for a side that can compete for top honours. Yet when his predecessor, Edwin van der Sar, arrived at Old Trafford in 2005 he was two years older than De Gea is now and signed from a team whose closest dalliance with a trophy was losing the 1975 FA Cup final: Fulham, who Van der Sar moved to from Italy’s most storied club, Juventus, in 2001.

• Brazilian back in UK and will attend station voluntarily
• He has denied allegations of violence against women

Antony is due to meet with Greater Manchester police (GMP) for questioning and will hand over his phone for inspection in relation to allegations of violence, which the Manchester United winger denies.

Antony’s former partner Gabriela Cavallin made numerous accusations which are being investigated by GMP. A second woman, Ingrid Lana, has also made allegations against him which relate to a meeting in Manchester. It is not known which allegations GMP is investigating but Antony has denied all the allegations in an interview on Brazilian TV.

Casemiro scored and was the driving force behind United’s win, with the defending champions through to the fourth round

• Jamie Jackson’s match report

8 min: Schlupp and Ayew, two very underrated players, combine nicely down the left, with the former swinging in a dangerous cross. Only some excellent defending from Maguire stops the visitors from taking the lead! Mateta was lurking at the back post.

6 min: Palace are sitting in a low block for now. All 11 men in their own half. I don’t think Mateta has had a kick yet.

Two consecutive victories for the first time this season: Erik ten Hag is engineering the U-turn Manchester United require. But to have as many wins – four – as defeats shows the work still before the manager.

The holders of the League Cup had not gone out in the third round since Swansea were beaten in September 2013. So after winning at Burnley at the weekend a loss to this much-changed Crystal Palace team would have revived the torrent of analysis aimed at Ten Hag before facing the same opposition here in Saturday’s league meeting.

• Latest bid is to address concerns of minority shareholders
• Ratcliffe hopes to have offer accepted by the Glazers

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is restructuring his bid for Manchester United to address concerns of minority shareholders and hopes to have his offer accepted in a potential sale process begun by the Glazers last November.

Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest people, has made an offer to become the majority shareholder in United by purchasing shares owned by the six American siblings. It is understood this was unattractive to the shareholders who own the remainder of the club, who include Lindsell Train, Ariel Investments LLC and Eminence Capital.

With promising youngsters like Daniel Gore and Omari Forson pushing for minutes, Erik ten Hag has some cause for optimism

Manchester United’s performance at the Allianz Arena last week did not represent the club of previous generations. They were outclassed by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, looking incomparable to previous teams that enjoyed European success.

On the bench, however, there was a sign that United are continuing their legacy of bringing through young players. Injuries and absentees, admittedly, created space for youngsters to be named as substitutes, with eight of Erik ten Hag’s potential replacements coming from the academy.