REF JUSTICE HAS TEN HAG MAD AT ANDY

ERIK TEN HAG accused referee Andy Madley of costing Manchester United a derby defeat by City at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s champions came from behind to win 3-1, thanks to Phil Foden’s double and a late strike from Erling Haaland.

But Ten Hag was seething with Madley for refusing to award Marcus Rashford a free-kick following a challenge from Kyle Walker (below), as he looked to break free in the second half.

And he thought the Red Devils should have been awarded a penalty when keeper Ederson slid in to tackle Alejandro Garnacho (above) when the score was still 1-1.

Ten Hag, who was booked for complaining to the fourth official, said: “The defining moments were not on our side.

“I will not say it was a tackle from Kyle Walker. Rashy confirmed to me there was contact. When you are on a fullspeed run and get a touch, you are out of control and that is what happened.

“It’s a defining moment in the game, because in the counterattack City scored.

“We stuck to the plan and had the moment of the reckless action of the goalkeeper of City on Garnacho.

“We were really close to getting a win, or at least a draw, here.”

Back-to-back league defeats have piled the pressure back on Ten Hag.

United have now lost 11 league games this season – one short of their all-time record of 12 in 2022.

They are also 11 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa. But Ten Hag denied this latest defeat highlighted a gulf in class between the neighbours.

He added: “No, I don’t think so... absolutely not. We can be competitive and it was close, but City is in this moment, don’t forget, the best team in the world.

“Fifth spot can also be a

Champions League place, so we have to go for it and win our games.”