Erik ten Hag was understandably delighted with the fight shown by his players, as the manager revealed what he told his players at half-time.
Follow Us
Manchester United produced a brilliant fightback from two goals down to overcome an in-form Aston Villa side in a Premier League classic. It could not have gone any better for the team on Boxing Day than what was witnessed on Tuesday night. A sloppy couple of moments meant the Red Devils were trailing 2-0 at half-time despite having some good attacking sequences. However, a spirited comeback in the second half saw the home side win the match 3-2 in front of a joyous Old Trafford crowd.
Erik ten Hag was understandably delighted with the fight shown by his players, as the manager revealed what he told his players at half-time. “I didn’t’ say Merry Christmas! I said keep believing. I said I want to see the team, from the first whistle to the final whistle, with spirit and belief to win that game. No matter what happens. At half-time, I repeated that message and it was also justified as we created four or five really good chances but didn’t take them. Straight after half-time, another disappointment and it tells the story of the season so far. We’ve had so many setbacks but I see the character of this team,” ten Hag, quoted on the club’s website, told the official broadcasters.
The Manchester United manager also felt that his side deserved the three points for all the hard work they put in despite the setbacks they have had this season. “Keep believing. I think our fans, they deserved it. They are always behind us and we’ve had so many setbacks. I’m really pleased with the performance from my team. What can the team handle and deal with – so many setbacks in the first half of the season,” he explained.
He added: “They were resilient and showed character and personality, to turn it around, and I’m very pleased with this performance from my team. They got the reward for their hard work and it’s actually unbelievable, so many setbacks that a normal team can’t handle it. This team can. They keep the confidence and belief, even when losing 2-0 and all the history from this season at their back. They kept fighting and got rewarded.”
Marcus Rashford returned to the line-up and started on the left flank, with Alejandro Garnacho on the right and Rasmus Hojlund up front. The front three were excellent and continued to threaten Aston Villa’s defence throughout the game. “When you don’t score, that was the problem in the last games, against Liverpool, we could have scored as the best chances were ours with Garna and Hojlund. At West Ham, with Garnacho. Now we are down but keep fighting. What is the difference? We kept believing and were determined, resilient,” he stated.
He added: “We wanted so much that win so we did. They [Garnacho and Hojlund] will be in the spotlight and they deserve it. Also Rashford had a very good game and was a threat. The front three were well served by Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen, with smart passing. I’m very pleased with the performance from everyone. Garnacho played a very good game as well. He played fantastic and he was so disappointed, after West Ham, that he didn’t score when in one-on-ones. Now, twice, he got rewarded for all the work he put into this game.”
More Football Stories:
Wataru Endo news: Why did the Japanese midfielder decide to join Liverpool in the summer?
Manchester United news: How can the Red Devils turn their season around? Scott McTominay responds
Premier League: Which players have scored the most goals in a single season?
EPL stats: Which clubs have conceded the most last-minute winners in Premier League?
EPL stats: Which clubs have scored the most number of last-minute winners in Premier League?
How long will Kevin De Bruyne be out injured? Pep Guardiola responds
