Manchester United didn’t follow plan in Palace thrashing – Ten Hag

Manchester United didn’t follow plan in Palace thrashing – Ten Hag

Erik ten Hag affirmed his commitment to Manchester United despite their 4-0 loss to Crystal Palace, emphasizing that his players failed to execute the planned strategy. This defeat marked United’s 13th Premier League loss this season, a record low for the club. The defeat has pushed them down to eighth place, outside of European qualification positions, and Ten Hag admitted it was the lowest point of their season.

United faced personnel challenges with Fernandes, McTominay, and Maguire unavailable, leading to a makeshift center-back pairing of Casemiro and Jonny Evans. Palace capitalized on this vulnerability, with Michael Olise scoring two superb goals, Jean-Philippe Mateta adding another, and Tyrick Mitchell tapping home.

When questioned on Sky Sports post-match about his suitability for the role, Ten Hag asserted, “Absolutely. We have the right players, and a good squad.” Despite the disappointing result, he affirmed his determination: “I will continue to fight. I prepared the team to the best of my ability, but it wasn’t enough. I take responsibility, but I’ll regroup and prepare for Sunday’s game.”

However, Ten Hag acknowledged the defeat’s severity, describing it as the lowest point of the season. He lamented the manner in which they conceded goals, particularly the first, stating, “It was very poor how we conceded, especially given the circumstances. We have to help each other out.”

United faced defensive challenges, with Evans not fully prepared for the game following his return from injury. Ten Hag expressed deep disappointment with the defeat to Palace, where United were thoroughly outclassed.

“It’s very disheartening. We underperformed, undoubtedly our worst defeat,” Ten Hag remarked. “We should have performed better. As a team, we didn’t execute our plan and adhere to our principles. There were significant errors and a lack of adherence to our strategy. We let each other down, leading to our worst defeat.”

He continued, “This is our fourth defeat in 2024. Previously, we’ve been disciplined and hard to beat, following our plan effectively. However, today, we were easy to defeat. While the players showed eagerness, once on the field, both individually and collectively, we fell short.”

Ten Hag also expressed a desire for the players to exhibit the same passion as the loyal traveling supporters.

“The fans were fantastic,” he praised. “Their support was unwavering, and they understand the challenges we’re facing. I appreciate their backing, and we should have channeled their fighting spirit onto the pitch.”

For Crystal Palace, this triumph extends their impressive streak under Oliver Glasner, with the team securing victory in four of their last five Premier League matches.

“Congratulations to the team for this victory, particularly for the 4-0 result against Manchester United at home,” Glasner acknowledged on Sky Sports. “In the first half, we didn’t perform as well as we could have. Our defense left gaps in the midfield, allowing the opposition to exploit them. However, we were clinical in front of goal, scoring some excellent goals.”

“During halftime, we made a couple of adjustments, and the players responded well. In the second half, we showed much more control and dominance. We created numerous opportunities and scored some great goals. Overall, we were more consistent in our fundamentals, and it’s a fantastic win for the team,” Glasner concluded.