Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United reign has hit a major roadblock after a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool. The Dutchman, who was appointed in May, is already facing immense pressure after losing three of his first four games in charge.
Ten Hag’s tenure began with a promising 2-1 victory over Brighton in the Premier League opener. However, that optimism quickly evaporated with a 4-0 thrashing at Brentford and now the Liverpool debacle.
The former Ajax boss has been backed with a significant transfer budget, spending over £200 million on new players. But the results have not matched the investment, leaving Ten Hag under scrutiny.
In his post-match press conference, Ten Hag acknowledged the challenges facing his team. “It’s not like I’m Harry Potter, that is what you have to acknowledge,” he said. “We just had a third game in the season, again we have to build a new team.”
Ten Hag pointed to the inexperience of his squad, with several key players still adapting to the Premier League. He also defended Casemiro, who was at fault for Liverpool’s first two goals.
“I think that in football everyone has to take responsibility,” Ten Hag said. “He’s a great character. He has won everything in his career. I’m sure he will keep contributing to our team.”
Despite the setbacks, Ten Hag remains confident in his team’s ability to challenge for trophies this season. “At the end of the season I’m quite confident that we will have a big chance to lift another trophy,” he said.
However, United’s hopes of competing for the Premier League title appear slim. They are already six points behind defending champions Manchester City and Liverpool.
The defeat to Liverpool has exposed the deep-rooted problems at Old Trafford. Ten Hag has a lot of work to do if he is to turn things around and restore United to their former glory.
