Manchester United’s manager Erik ten Hag did not mince his words after the team’s recent performances, highlighted by a dramatic 4:3 defeat to Chelsea and a 1:1 draw with Brentford, calling the loss of five points in just five days “unacceptable”.
Reflecting on the Chelsea game, where United conceded two late goals in stoppage time, ten Hag pointed out the team’s shaky start and critical mistakes. “We deserved to win this game. But you can’t give it away like we did” he said. Despite the initial stumble, the Dutch specialist praised his team’s control for the rest of the match. “I enjoyed how my team was playing, it was fantastic. We dominated the ball, we dominated the opponent.”
🔴 Ten Hag: "In five days we dropped five points. That is unacceptable".
"The quality of our football is really high, but football is about results and you have to bring it over time…".
"We should have a high standard if we want to compete for Champions League football". pic.twitter.com/xkpM803KAk
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 5, 2024
Yet, individual errors and a poor start were ten Hag’s main concerns. “What most frustrates me is that we started the game poor, with individual errors” he underlined, pointing the issues that led to United’s downfall in a match they otherwise dominated.
The recent slip-ups have put the Red Devils’ ambitions under the microscope, with ten Hag stressing the importance of consistency for a team aspiring to Champions League football. “The quality of our football is really high, but football is about results and you have to bring it over time… We should have a high standard if we want to compete for Champions League football” he remarked after dropping crucial points.