Ten Hag: You need to Man u p
Furious boss blasts Red Devils for Sevilla surrender as do-or-die 10-game countdown begins with Forest
ERIK TEN HAG has warned his players that Manchester United must never be a soft touch.
United face a make-or-break seven days, beginning this afternoon at Nottingham Forest, before Thursday’s Europa League showdown at Sevilla, then an FA Cup semi-final against Brighton at Wembley next Sunday.
Ten Hag has propelled United into the top four and lifted the club’s first trophy in six years by winning the Carabao Cup. But the shock of seeing Sevilla score twice in eight minutes late on in Thursday’s 2-2 draw at Old Trafford – to suddenly put United’s progress into a Europa semi-final in doubt – has forced him to order his men to toughen up.
“We are all human beings and can make mistakes, but we have to avoid making too many,” said Ten Hag.
“Certain players now have to step up to take the team and control the standards.
“I can only talk about negatives from the Sevilla game. We played some quite good football, but you then have to manage the game.
“If you want to win trophies, you have to be smart. You have to stick to the plan and not allow an opponent to get back in the game.
“The players have to be aware that a game is over 95 or so minutes – and, yes, we
I didn’t see the passion to bring a tough game over the line...
still have a way to go. I am fully aware of it, but the team has to know. We need leaders in such moments.
“Many times, I have seen that we have the passion and desire to bring tough games over the line.
“Against Sevilla, I didn’t see that. The team can definitely learn from the game.
“We will talk about it and about how we can avoid it happening in the future.”
United’s squad is being stretched to breaking point at the business end of the season.
Top scorer Marcus Rashford is sidelined by a groin injury and Anthony Martial’s ongoing fitness issues mean that the Frenchman has to be nursed through games.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are out, after both were injured in the first leg against Sevilla.
Ten Hag is also without Alejandro Garnacho – and Luke Shaw and Scott Mctominay are doubts today.
But the boss does not want to give his stars any excuses. United coped when Casemiro and Christian Eriksen were respectively suspended and injured for extended spells recently, and Ten Hag said: “All clubs have to deal with having key players missing.
“Of course, you always want to play your best players, especially when you are in the final stages of the season. But when they are not available, others have to do it – and we proved it can be done when they are not there.
“It is also the case that when players drop out others have to take over and take responsibility.
“But if players are dropping out, then sometimes you do have to make compromises.” Ten Hag had been banking on Martial filling the void up front when United forced him to go into a first season as Old Trafford chief without signing a new striker.
Martial has managed just six PL starts, but Ten Hag made it clear the striker can still have a future at the club.
He added: “I want Anthony to be here. He’s a great player and has the qualities to play in top football – when he is fit our team play better.”