Roland Cutinho
Manchester United centre-back Jonny Evans praises Erik ten Hag amid poor performances this season
Jonny Evans has backed Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, even in light of the club’s disappointing start to the current season. He has claimed that the Red Devils are on the right path with the Dutch boss.
The 53-year-old joined Old Trafford as manager last summer and had a successful debut season, securing the Carabao Cup in February and guiding the team back to the Champions League.
However, there has been increasing pressure on the former Ajax manager due to United’s lacklustre performance in the 2023-24 season.
Before their 1-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday night, Ten Hag’s side had only managed to secure two wins in their first five Premier League matches, suffering a 3-1 defeat to Brighton at their home ground the previous weekend.
United also faced a loss in their opening Champions League group match against Bayern Munich during the week.
Despite these recent challenges, Evans, who returned to the club for a second stint during the summer, has publicly supported Ten Hag in the aftermath of United’s successful performance at Turf Moor.
He believes that the manager has got a ‘good thing’ at the Theatre of Dreams. As quoted by the Manchester Evening News, the 35-year-old defender said:
“You’ve got to be able to deal with setbacks, and this club is a fantastic club; they always want to be challenging at the top, so it’s all part and parcel of it.”
“The manager’s got a good thing going here. I’m a fan of the club, so I was able to watch them a lot last year; been at both finals to support. Like I say, I think the manager’s got a good thing going.”
Since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, Man United have faced difficulties in mounting serious challenges for major trophies. Despite winning the Carabao Cup last season, there was optimism that Ten Hag could be the manager to lead the club back to the pinnacle of football success.
However, the current season has witnessed significant setbacks, including losses to Tottenham, Arsenal, and Brighton. While the recent victory over Burnley has provided a boost in confidence, it has only placed them in ninth place in the Premier League standings.
Nevertheless, they remain nine points behind league leaders Manchester City, and achieving a top-four finish appears to be their most realistic goal for the season.
Player availability has been further complicated by injuries and various other issues, contributing to the challenges faced by the team. To sum up, the Red Devils have experienced a season with more disappointments than successes, but signs of improvement appear to be emerging, as indicated by their recent positive performance.
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Ten Hag will also be waiting to get his player fit and running as soon as possible. The situation might change for the English giants if they show a determination to grow and develop themselves from the team they were last season.
After all, a team can only progress if they show an improved version of themselves time and again and show the flexibility to win in precarious situations. Ten Hag has a lot to work on, and the fans’ backing is crucial for him at this point.
