Erik ten Hag refused to blame the referee for Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. Scott McTominay appealed for a penalty with United 1-0 up in the 72nd minute and although the challenge by Chris Richards was checked by VAR Neil Swarbrick, he stood by on-pitch official Robert Jones’s decision.
Erik ten Hag said: “You have to accept the decisions from VAR, from the referees. I look in the mirror, I look to my team, I look to my own managing and coaching and then I say invest more for the second goal then you avoid situations that you are dependent on the refereeing, VAR etc. That’s what we have to do.”
Michael Olise’s 90th-minute free-kick secured a point for Palace to end United’s winning run at nine games. United were at their most threatening at the end of each half in response to David de Gea tipping Odsonne Edouard’s effort onto the crossbar, with Bruno Fernandes scoring three minutes later, and after Olise’s late strike Casemiro had a glaring chance to regain United’s lead.
Erik ten Hag said: “Disappointed when an unlucky moment you concede a goal like this and there’s almost no time anymore to go for a win. But we still had two opportunities and a big chance from the corner for Casemiro from Bruno Fernandes. But when you concede the goal just before the end there is less time end and it was unnecessary, we had to go early on, go for the second goal. It’s quite clear when you’re 1-0 up and you’re totally in control of the game [that you are disappointed to draw], but in football one moment can change everything. You have seen today the result of the game was by one unlucky moment, although we controlled the game.”
