Manchester United one of ‘most entertaining’ Premier League teams, says Erik ten Hag
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag believes his side are one of the best entertaining teams in the Premier League at the moment, even though they are struggling to win games.
This means the Ten Hag side have registered just one win in 90 minutes since mid-March and have taken seven points from their past six league matches.
In total, 38 goals have been scored in United’s last eight matches.
- author, Simon Stone
- Role, Old Trafford’s chief football news correspondent
“We are one of the most dynamic and entertaining teams in the league at the moment,” Ten Hag told the BBC.
“We create a lot of chances by playing good football. Every team misses chances. But when it’s in our hands, it’s strange.”
United remain in sixth place, one point behind Newcastle, in the fight for a place in the Europa League next season.
Ten Hag defended his decision to bring off Rasmus Hoglund and Kobe Maino after 65 minutes, which sparked boos from the home fans, and warned fans they needed to be patient after the Red Devils targeted younger players last summer.
“It was a high-intensity game, our third in a row, and Burnley had off days, so it made perfect sense to bring in players who were very young and in their prime years in the Premier League – and I’m not even talking about that.” About the risk of infection,” he said.
“Rasmus Hoglund had injuries and Kobe Maino had serious injuries, so I protected them. I understand that the fans want to see the skills these players bring but I have to do my job. It was the right decision.”
Ten Hag suggested that an inexperienced team could lead to inconsistent performances – comparing his side to the 2004-05 season when United were in transition, with young players including Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo starting to emerge, and they finished third in the League, and they were from the English Federation. Cup runner-up and League Cup semi-final.
He said: “They forgot, in the 2004-2005 season, that they did not play great football.” “They build and it takes time but everyone forgets, even the players who were in the team, forget that they were struggling. You need time to progress.”
There is realism inside Old Trafford now.
With the Premier League’s current profit and sustainability regulations remaining in place next season, United’s margins are known to be tight, even if, as expected, they sell a home-grown player in Mason Greenwood.
Even Jadon Sancho, another player likely to leave, will not make much money given United paid Borussia Dortmund £73m for him in 2021 and he still has two years left on his contract.
So, it could be the 2025-26 season before United are ready to challenge in the way Sir Jim Ratcliffe envisaged when he took over joint ownership of the club on Christmas Eve.
Whether Ten Hag will remain in place to implement the plan after the FA Cup final on May 25 is open to question.
