Siddharth Juyal
Manchester United squad baffled by the decision of manager Erik ten Hag to pick Jonny Evans over Raphael Varane
Manchester United players questioned the decision of their manager Erik ten Hag over the team selection for the Manchester derby. Ten Hag opted to put Jonny Evans over Raphael Varane as in-from Harry Maguire’s defensive partner against Manchester City.
United lost 0-3 to Manchester City in the Premier League Manchester derby on Sunday as the visitors dominated the game. Ten Hag made a decision that surprised fans and experts when he dropped his first-choice centre-back Varane.
The Red Devils took a cautious approach and relied on counter-attacks while covering the spaces to stop the Citizen’s attack. However, City managed to tactically outsmart the United manager, managing 10 shots on target throughout the game. United managed only three shots on target as they struggled to relieve the pressure with a direct counterapproach.
The Athletic reported that United’s squad was unhappy about seeing their best centre-back on the bench due to “tactical reasons”. Ten Hag opted to use Evans, the player he signed on a short-term deal to be an emergency backup.
Many fans and pundits criticized Ten Hag’s man-management approach when the Dutchman had a public fallout with Jadon Sancho. The 53-year-old used the media to publicly criticize the young English forward’s training performance. Many thought that the club should have privately handled the situation, which resulted in unwanted attention.
The United boss had a similar fallout with United icon Cristiano Ronaldo last season which ended in the Portuguese exit. The Red Devils provided Ten Hag with some breathing space by securing three consecutive victories before the Manchester derby.
Scott McTominay and Harry Maguire played a crucial role in helping the club register those victories. However, Ten Hag attempted to sell both players during the summer transfer window to raise funds for other desired targets.
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Ten Hag cannot afford to lose the dressing room when pressure is at its peak after two consecutive home losses. The Dutchman required unity and cohesiveness within the team which was severely lacking on the pitch. The Red Devils have not played with a particular style of play this season and that needs to change too.
