Erik ten Hag’s post-match press conference following his side’s home loss to Liverpool was anything but friendly, with the Dutch manager snapping at questions over his coaching methods.
The former AFC Ajax Amsterdam boss watched as his side made loads of schoolboy errors to gift Liverpool three goals in front of the home fans while also being outplayed by the visiting Reds led by his compatriot Arne Slot.
Two goals from Luis Diaz, both assisted by Mohamed Salah, and one by the Egyptian condemned Manchester United to their second loss in three Premier League games which has left them in a pre serious situation heading into the international break.
Pressed about the “familiar mistakes” that his team made in the game, ten Hag responded, “We are building a new team. We will build this new team.
“We had two players first start of the season. We will improve. By the end of the season, I am quite confident again. We will have a big chance to win another trophy.”
Directly addressing the question about errors,the 54-year-old replied: “Are you sure? We wouldn’t win trophies otherwise. After City, we won the most trophies in English football [since Ten Hag’s arrival in 2022]. I am sorry for you.”
Journalists also asked him what Manuel Ugarte would bring to the team, citing his pursuit for the Uruguayan for two seasons now. An obviously miffed ten Hag responded snappily, saying, “It’s not like I’m Harry Potter. That is what you have to acknowledge.”
The fans of the club have passed a vote of no confidence in ten Hag via posts and comments on social media but it seems that INEOS is willing to back him for longer. Or at least, until Christmas, which is what former Manchester United captain Gary Neville believes.
Speaking on Sky Sports after the match, Neville said, “It’s going to be a challenging week or so for ten Hag, just to get around the fact that there will be some pressure building.
“But I think he will get until Christmas. There’s no doubt about that. There’s no doubt that INEOS and Dan Ashworth the chief executive – who has got a sense of calm about him – the [former Manchester] City chief executive [Omar Berrada] and Sir Dave Brailsford and those people, are not just going to do something stupid.
“Within three or four months, they have made the decision to keep him. They will get four or five months. What they can’t be is mid-table come Christmas, but he is going to get a few months, there’s no doubt about that.”
