Erik ten Hag slams ‘inconsistent’ Manchester United after Bournemouth misery
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Manager Erik Ten Hag shouldered much of the responsibility after the match for United’s 11th defeat in all competitions this term.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LONDON – Erik ten Hag blasted his “inconsistent” charges after Bournemouth made history with their first-ever victory at Old Trafford on Dec 9.
Manchester United’s embarrassing 3-0 defeat underlined the array of problems threatening to ruin their season.
Dominic Solanke opened the scoring after just five minutes, before second-half headers by Philip Billing and Marcos Senesi sealed the result as ten Hag and his players were booed off at full time.
Just three days after beating Chelsea to revive their bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League, United reverted to the sloppy form that has plagued them for much of the campaign.
With the pressure mounting on ten Hag in his second season as United manager, the Dutchman slammed his team’s lacklustre performance.
“Of course, annoyed and disappointed, definitely. I expected something different,” he said.
“I hoped before the game you can build on the performance and result from Chelsea, so then it’s very disappointing.”
United have now lost 35 home league games since Alex Ferguson retired at the end of the 2012-13 title-winning season.
During the iconic 26-year reign of the Scottish manager in which the Red Devils won seven league titles, they were beaten in the league at Old Trafford only 34 times.
Ten Hag shouldered much of the responsibility for United’s 11th defeat in all competitions this term.
“We are really inconsistent. We have the abilities to do it, but you have to do it every game and every third day,” he said.
“I think as a squad we are not good enough to be consistent and we have to work as a squad to improve that.
“I think we have to always be ready for the game, so I have to take the responsibility for that.
“I have to prepare my team so that they are ready for the game, so from my point of view, I’m very disappointed the way we started, so I have to do the things better.”
Ten Hag added: “We have to get tougher... I said on Friday, it can’t be in this league that you are not playing on the highest levels because you get killed.
“That’s what happened in the five minutes, especially against them, such a good transition team, you make life easy for them. They have the perfect conditions to play in.”
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (left) reacts after they concede their second goal.
PHOTO: AFP
His remarks came at the end of a week that began with reports that some United players had grown unhappy with the manager.
Ten Hag denied those claims but, with his team mired in sixth place, he desperately needs some positive results quickly.
United host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Dec 12 knowing they must win to have any chance of progressing to the last 16.
A trip to Liverpool in the league follows the Bayern clash. AFP
