Erik ten Hag ‘out of his depth’ after ‘absolutely disgusting’ Manchester United defeat
Erik ten Hag insisted he did not fear the sack and claimed his Manchester United players were still listening to him despite their latest abject humiliation – at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday – piling the pressure on the embattled manager.
Goals from Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke saw the 10 men of United slump to an insipid 3-0 defeat that left Jamie Redknapp claiming Ten Hag was “completely out of his depth”.
United captain Bruno Fernandes was controversially sent off in the 42nd minute for a challenge on James Maddison. But United were already 1-0 down and in complete disarray by that stage in a performance the club’s former captain Gary Neville described as “absolutely disgusting”.
Despite the growing uncertainty over his position, Ten Hag suggested he still had the backing of United’s hierarchy.
Asked if he worried the ownership might change manager, the Dutchman said: “No, I am not thinking about this. We all made … this decision to stay together, as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer.
“Also we made the decision from a clear review what we have to improve as an organisation and how we want to construct a squad.
“But we knew it will take some time because of how the [summer transfer] window went, some players late in like [Manuel] Ugarte. Also we have to make some improvement in organisation, we still have some injuries, we need some time.
“We are all on one page or in one boat together – the ownership, the leadership group, the staff and the players as well. I don’t have that concern.”
Tottenham’s first goal, when centre-back Micky van de Ven ran 80 yards unchecked upfield before crossing for Johnson to score after 156 seconds, bore alarming similarities to Twente’s equalising goal in Wednesday’s dismal 1-1 draw in the Europa League.
A lightning fast start from Tottenham ⚡
Micky van de Ven with an unbelievable run and he makes no mistake putting it on a plate for Brennan Johnson 💥 pic.twitter.com/8KubHjAm2U— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
Ten Hag admitted such defending was inexcusable and that it was one of the worst performances of his reign but claimed he was confident the players were still listening to him.
“Yes I am but it is clear and obvious when you concede a goal like this again, it shouldn’t happen and especially when we address it so loud and clear,” he said.
Asked if United, who have now failed to score in three of their last four league games, could bounce back from this, Ten Hag added: “Of course, there is always a new game, it will be a new day and it is also obvious you have to learn as a team it can’t happen twice in four days [that] a defender of the opponent can dribble through the whole park without being stopped.
“These things are impossible in top football. You can’t make such mistakes. We have to address this. We will bounce back.”
Neville pulled no punches in his assessment of United’s display and believes the pressure on Ten Hag could become intolerable. United are due to face Porto away in the Europa League on Thursday before travelling to Aston Villa three days later in their final game before the international break.
“The pressure is going to get ramped up this week – it is going to be brutal,” Neville said. “It has been a bad day for Ten Hag, really bad. It’s one of the worst performances I have seen under Ten Hag – and that is saying something. It is really bad.
"Are the players not buying into what Erik ten Hag is telling them to do or do they not believe in it?" 🤔@GNev2 says the Manchester United players' application to applying Ten Hag's plans is 'abysmal' 😳 pic.twitter.com/rIdivWNDOy
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
“The big story was that first half – it was not from nowhere – but they have chosen to put in their very worst performance. It was an absolutely disgusting performance in effort and quality and there are a lot of questions to answer from that group in the next week.
“I’ve been here at Man United enough over the past 10 to 12 years to know that a game and a result like this needs reversing rather quickly.
“The snowball starts to roll down that hill and it gathers pace. Erik ten Hag has got to stop it at source right now because this is a shocking day, a sobering day.”
Redknapp believes United are “going backwards” under Ten Hag. “It gets to a point where you almost feel sorry for the manager as well,” the former Liverpool midfielder said. “He looks completely out of his depth, he looks like he’s struggling to motivate his team.
"I just don't see how he [Erik ten Hag] can keep his job" 🤯
Brutally honest from Jamie Redknapp! 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/SAq9QcDLb0— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
“If you’re under pressure as a manager, this is where you want to come because you get all your confidence back. It was so easy for Tottenham. They looked comfortable, calm, under no duress.
“Man United and Ten Hag are going backwards. You can’t complain anymore, he’s got his back four in place, he’s got all the players at his disposal – there’s no excuses. They are rock bottom right now. I just don’t see where they can go from here. They’re as bad as I’ve seen a United side.
“It’s embarrassing. A club of this stature shouldn’t be producing performances like that.
“They’ve been outworked and that’s been the most damning thing for me over the last few games.”
Spurs would have won by a bigger scoreline but for André Onana making three one-on-one saves to deny Timo Werner (twice) and Solanke, with Ange Postecoglou full of praise for his players.
“We were outstanding,” the Tottenham manager said. “I thought we showed a real sort of belief and conviction in our football, we were really aggressive in everything, without the ball, with it, there was positive intent. It was a fantastic all-round performance.”