Newcastle seemed to be a step above United in every department and deservedly won the game even though they had to wait till second half for their goals.
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Erik ten Hag was understandably a frustrated man after seeing Manchester United lose 2-0 to Newcastle United in the Premier League at the weekend. More than the result, it was the performance on Sunday that concerned many people. The Red Devils were never really in the game and were a shadow of their usual self. Newcastle seemed to be a step above United in every department and deservedly won the game even though they had to wait till second half for their goals.
After the match, manager Erik ten Hag was clearly not happy with the team’s performance. “I was surprised we couldn’t match the determination, passion and desire of the opponent. When you travel to St James’ Park you know what will be going on, especially after we win the [Carabao] Cup. If you want to win big games, you have to be mature and I didn’t see that today on the pitch,” he was quoted by the club’s website as saying in his post-match interviews with media.
“I don’t think we underestimated Newcastle. They play above their levels because they’re so eager but you could expect that. They were determined to win this game, but you have to match that and be aware of the situation from the start. We didn’t enter the final third, the box, too many times of the opponent, but they could easily enter our box. We have to do much better.”
Ten Hag was not happy with Manchester United’s attacking play on Sunday, but he refused to blame any individual. “I think our attacking game was not good enough. I don’t want to be focused on one person. It was about team performance. We didn’t break them down,” he explained.
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“In the first half we had a trap on the right side with Antony and Diogo [Dalot] but on the left we had almost nothing. That is the conclusion of the game. Today we didn’t create many chances and when we were there, we weren’t determined enough to score a goal. That’s the truth. The best chance was maybe for the equaliser for [Anthony] Martial, the deflected shot. But we didn’t create enough.”
Manchester United have a chance to bounce back with back-to-back home games in their next two matches in the league. However, ten Hag is not looking too far ahead. “I don’t think about two home games. I think about Brentford. That’s the first game. Go game by game and definitely we need a different attitude. I can’t say the intentions were wrong. They tried to do it but the opponent showed more hunger and willingness than we [did],” he stated.
Despite the setback, Erik ten Hag is not too deflated, as he remains confident of his players bouncing back from the setback. “It’s normal. In a season you have setbacks, and you have to deal with that. We did that so many times, recently after Liverpool we came back so I don’t have that concern. I believe in my team. I believe they will bounce back,” he elaborated.
