Siddharth Juyal
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is adamant he can turn things around after back-to-back losses at Old Trafford
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag boasted his “fighter” mentality after accepting responsibility for the club’s current predicament. United have suffered back-to-back 3-0 losses at Old Trafford against Manchester City and Newcastle United.
On Sunday, United lost the Premier League Manchester derby after their local rivals dominated them at home. Furthermore, the Red Devils suffered a humiliating loss in the Carabao Cup against the Magpies. United were the defending champions in the Carabao Cup after winning the competition against Newcastle in the finals last season.
Ten Hag guided the Red Devils to Champions League qualification last season as they finished third in the Premier League. The Dutchman ended the six-year trophy drought after United beat the Magpies in the Carabao Cup final last season.
Ten Hag told the media (h/t BBC) that the poor result justifies the criticism but he has confidence in himself. He said:
“I understand when the results are not there it is logical they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it. At this moment we are in a bad place and I take responsibility for it. But I am a fighter. I see it as a challenge.”
The 53-year-old had a successful tenure with Ajax Amsterdam before joining United in the summer of 2022. Football experts from Europe raved admiration about the style of play that Ten Hag implemented at the Dutch Club.
Ten Hag successfully fortified the defence at United last season as they kept the most clean sheet in the Premier League. The Dutchman relied on Marcus Rashford’s goal-scoring form and Bruno Fernandes’ creativity to implement a counter-attacking approach.
Furthermore, Ten Hag added Rasmus Hojlund, Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount this season to build on his last season’s success. However, the Red Devils have regressed badly this season with a lack of cohesiveness and a dominating style of play.
United leaked goals when they applied an attacking approach as they kept leaving huge spaces for the opposition to exploit. On the other hand, they have looked non-threatening in a more balanced or cautious tactical approach.
More Manchester United News
- Manchester United interested in signing Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah
- Erik ten Hag vows to turn around Manchester United fortunes ahead of Newcastle United clash
- Eddie Howe provides Newcastle injury update ahead of the clash against Manchester United
Ten Hag is probably facing the toughest challenge of his career as his team looks completely out of sync. United need to get a series of positive results to build momentum that can lessen the daunting pressure
