Erik ten Hag insists Man Utd will stick together after Galatasaray defeat and backs goalkeeper Andre Onana – Sky Sports
Football
Man Utd beaten 3-2 at home by Galatasaray in the Champions League; United have lost six of their opening 10 games in all competitions this season; Ten Hag also backs goalkeeper Andre Onana after the Cameroon international made another costly mistake
Wednesday 4 October 2023 14:20, UK
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Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job after his side’s horror start to the season continued with a Champions League home defeat by Galatasaray.
The Dutchman also insists Andre Onana has the capability of becoming one of the best goalkeeper’s in the world, despite another error early in his Manchester United career.
United threw away a 2-1 lead to fall to a 3-2 loss at a rain-soaked Old Trafford and suffer their worst start to a season since 1986.
They have lost six of their opening 10 games for the first time in 37 years and their chances of getting out of the group stages already look in doubt after just two matches.
But Ten Hag, who says there are “no excuses” for his side’s dismal performances, afterwards insisted everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction.
Asked whether he feared for his job, the Dutchman said: “Last season: brilliant, terrific, more than we could expect.
“We also knew in this project there would be common gaps. At this moment we are in a very difficult period as everyone can see but we come out together, we are fighting together, we are sticking together and we are behind each other. That is me, the directors, the team, all together we will fight.
Man Utd 2-3 Galatasaray – Match report
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“This is not us, we know we have to do better, with togetherness we will come out.
“If I give an explanation, then you will see as excuses, there are no excuses. We can’t make the errors we are now making. We have to do better, it is a simple fact, we have to win our games.”
United had victory in their own hands after two Rasmus Hojlund goals, either side of former United winger Wilfried Zaha’s leveller, put them on course for a much-needed win.
But Kerem Akturkoglu again pegged them back and then a woeful error by Onana set them on a path to self destruction as his abysmal pass led to Casemiro fouling Dries Mertens in the penalty area and the Brazilian was sent off.
Mauro Icardi missed the resulting penalty, but made amends three minutes later as he grabbed the winner and sealed a first-ever victory on English soil for the Turkish side.
Onana also made a costly gaffe in the Group A opener at Bayern Munich a fortnight ago but Ten Hag, who managed him at Ajax, has backed the Cameroonian to come good.
“We are happy with our goalkeeping group, definitely with Andre,” Ten Hag said. “He was in one semi-final of the Champions League, last year he was in the final of the Champions League, he has the capablilties to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
“He has shown that and he will do. We already have seen in games his great capabilites, also his personality after he made mistakes. He will bounce back and I am sure he will in the coming games as well.”
Christian Eriksen, who was brought on as a half-time substitute with the score at 1-1, insists United are not lacking confidence but need to improve their awareness when they go ahead in games.
The Denmark international told TNT Sports: “It’s a big disappointment and it was very quiet in the dressing room. We had some good spells in the game but in the end, when we go ahead and score a goal, always shortly after we concede and that makes it very difficult for us. That’s something that has to change quickly.
“I don’t think it’s confidence, I think it’s more the awareness and the sharpness. To go ahead twice, you shouldn’t throw that away and we’ve done that in other games this season. It’s the wrong decisions at the wrong times.
“A lot of work needs to be done but again it’s the details. A lot of chances they had came from our mistakes. If we don’t make mistakes we won’t concede as we do.
“We’ve only played two games in this competition. There are a lot of games to play and catch up. We know we need to win every game to have an opportunity to go through.”
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Clinton Morrison speaking on Soccer Special: “It’s a bad night and there has to be pressure on Erik ten Hag now.
“I don’t think they played badly. The game could have been over if they had taken their chances.
“There is no organisation and they are getting opened up. They were far too open at the back.
“The one positive I will take from tonight is Rasmus Hojlund, he was outstanding and looks a real player. He held the ball up ever so well, led the line and scored two really goals.
“Worrying times for Man Utd.”
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Talking before United’s defeat, Sky Sports’ Gary Neville told talkSPORT his former club is a “graveyard for coaches and players” when discussing their disastrous start to the season.
“It’s been very scruffy. Up and down, inconsistent, injuries, lots of things going wrong on the pitch, lots of things going wrong off the pitch,” Neville said.
“I feel very sorry for the manager, I know a lot of people will say he has to do a lot better and that’s fine, he’s the Manchester United manager. But there are big problems at the club which to be fair, I think all managers have found over the last 10 years. Until those problems are solved, we’ll still continue to see underperforming teams, underperforming teams.
“It’s become a graveyard for coaches and players. I said that a few years ago. It’s not too strong a term. There are very few players who have excelled at Manchester United in the last 10 years. They were all wanted by other clubs and they ended up coming to Manchester United and not succeeding and not performing to the levels. Why is that? It’s because it’s not culturally correct to accept players in the way in which it should. They need to get that right.”
October 7: Brentford (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm
October 21: Sheffield United (A) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
October 24: Copenhagen (H) – Champions League, kick-off 8pm
October 29: Manchester City (H) – Premier League, kick-off 3.30pm, live on Sky Sports
November 1: Newcastle (H) – Carabao Cup, kick-off 8.15pm, live on Sky Sports
November 4: Fulham (A) – Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
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