Erik ten Hag of Manchester United (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag pleased with the overall performance of the team despite losing a two-goal lead
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag insisted that he is content with the team despite the error-filled performance. Galatasaray fought back against United to clinch a 3-3 draw after being two goals down at the RAMS Park stadium.
The Red Devils went 3-1 up in the 55th minute after a clinical finish from Scott McTominay. United needed the three points to stand a better chance of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages.
The Manchester giants are currently fourth in the Champions League Group A table as they face Bayern Munich next. United would need to beat Bayern at Old Trafford and hope for a draw between Galatasaray and FC Copenhagen.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag lambasts expressed his contentment with the team’s performance despite conceding the two-goal lead. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
The Red Devils could have avoided this peculiar yet undesirable situation if they could hold on to the two-goal lead. Galatasaray gave a surprisingly poor performance in front of their fanbase, known for creating a hostile environment for the opposition.
The Turkish club left a lot of space in the middle for the visitors to exploit. However, United failed to use a cautious approach after taking the two-goal lead as they left too much space themselves.
Speaking to TNT Sports (Manchester United’s official site), Ten Hag insisted on his contentment with the performance despite the result. He said:
“We will fix that [conceding too many goals] but I’m very pleased, you see the style of the team. Proactive, dynamic, brave, so it’s what I said, I’m really pleased with the performance. We created so many chances. Also, in the end, we could have won this game, with Scott [McTominay], with Pelli [Facundo Pellistri] in the end. They were big chances and it was not about luck but about playing good football.”
🔴 Ten Hag: “I keep thinking that this team is good”.
“All the players in squad are good and deserve the best to play for Man Utd because they are brilliant players. And that counts for the whole squad”. pic.twitter.com/KKxujzrFIm
The open game provided chances to both the teams till the very end as Galatasaray took a total of 16 shots compared to United’s 17. Nevertheless, a poor defensive display from United cost them the pivotal game.
The Red Devils are going into the congested December period and need to redirect their focus on the Premier League. Ten Hag’s team is currently four points away from the top four positions, the minimum target for the club.
Siddharth Juyal
