RALPH Hasenhuttl admits presiding over two of the biggest defeats in Premier League history “hurts”, but insisted he would not blame his young players for the latest loss. Saints were humbled 9-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford last night, a record-equalling margin of defeat ever recorded in the Premier League. Only twice before have sides lost by nine goals in this division – Saints to Leicester under Hasenhuttl in 2019 and Ipswich Town against Man Utd in 1995. Discussing Saints’ unwanted entries into the history books in the past two seasons,
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “It hurts, you can be sure that it hurts, me the most I think. But I cannot change it anymore. It happened and the only way for us again to go on is to show that we are a better team than we have been (against Man Utd). I sit here and answer the questions and at the moment it’s a problem I do not really have the alternatives with the team I have. And that’s it.”
Saints are currently without nine first-team players due to injury and handed first starts of the season to academy duo Kayne Ramsay and Alex Jankewitz at Old Trafford. Jankewitz’s full Premier League debut did not last long, sent off within two minutes for a reckless challenge on Scott McTominay. Man Utd led 4-0 at half-time, but Saints kept the score down to six before Jan Bednarek was then dismissed with four minutes to play. With teenage debutant Allan Tchaptchet, on as a substitute, at centre-back with Jack Stephens for the closing minutes, Saints conceded three more times.
Ralph Hasenhuttl added: “Do you want me to blame the young lads for not doing their job perfect? I don’t do this because I know they don’t do it because they like to do it. They are not good enough maybe at the moment and they have to learn. But how can I blame them?”
The defeat leaves Saints 12th in the Premier League table, on a run of four consecutive league losses.
