Sports

Ten Hag Calls for Patience to Revive Man Utd’s Form after 3-0 Home loss

Published by Tope Fakinlede on September 29th, 2024.

Ten Hag Calls for Patience to Revive Man Utd’s Form after 3-0 Home loss

Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, is hopeful that he will be given the necessary time to turn around the club’s struggles following a disappointing 3-0 loss at home to Tottenham on Sunday.

The match began poorly for United, with Brennan Johnson scoring just three minutes in, tapping in after Micky van de Ven’s powerful run through the defense. Things worsened for Ten Hag when he lost his captain, Bruno Fernandes, to a straight red card before halftime.

In the second half, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke added to Tottenham’s lead, reflecting their dominance throughout the game. Ten Hag entered this season under scrutiny after the club’s internal review at the end of last season, which followed their lowest-ever Premier League finish, eighth place.

So far, United has secured only two victories in their first six matches this season, placing them 12th in the league. “We made a collective decision as a leadership group to stay united this summer,” Ten Hag said when asked about potential managerial changes. “We reviewed what we need to improve and how to build the squad.”

Despite the pressure, Ten Hag received a one-year contract extension three months ago. He emphasized the need for a turnaround, especially with tough away matches against Porto in the Europa League and Aston Villa in the Premier League coming up. “We are all aligned and in this together—ownership, leadership, staff, and players,” he stated.

Ten Hag expressed frustration over the way his team conceded an equalizer in a recent Europa League match against FC Twente, which mirrored the defensive lapses against Tottenham. “As a team, we can’t allow a defender to run through our entire defense,” he said. “The first 30 minutes were not up to Manchester United’s standards. The players became anxious after the early goal and made poor choices.”

Former captain Gary Neville described United’s first-half performance as a “disgrace.” Meanwhile, Fernandes defended himself regarding his red card, claiming, “It was never a red card in my opinion. If he wants to give me a yellow for the counter-attack, I can accept that, but anything more is excessive.”