Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has commented on the team’s poor performance following a second successive 3-0 Premier League home defeat by Tottenham.
Regarding the match, he admitted: “We all made a togetherness, this decision, to stay together as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer. We also knew it will take some time because of how the window went, some players were late in like Ugarte, we have to integrate him now. We are all there on one page, one boat, together, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, the players’ group as well, so I don’t have that concern. Of course, there’s always a new game, there will be a new day and it’s also obvious you have to learn as a team. When you concede the goal like we did, in the third minute and when we actually outnumbered [Tottenham] and concede a goal from a counterattack where the center half is crossing the whole pitch and then bring on the goal line, a cross in and then on the back post, tapping in. That was our game plan. The first 30 minutes was no good. And then the red card, we were downsized and that had a big impact on the game. Can’t happen in four days now we have twice a defender of the opponent who can dribble through the whole park and not be stopped. These things [should be] impossible in top football. You can’t make such mistakes.”
The coach’s comments come as Manchester United are currently 12th in the Premier League table, having lost more league games than they have won this season. Tottenham’s recent victory marks United’s fourth 3-0 home league loss within the past year. United’s recent form has refuelled uncertainty over Ten Hag’s position, four months after the United hierarchy sounded out potential replacements.