You don't always get what you deserve! - Ten Hag gives his thoughts after United win over Sociedad

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Erik ten Hag delivered his very honest assessment of the evening's events in San Sebastian in the Europa League.

'It was a little bit League Two-ish': Paul Scholes SLAMS Erik ten Hag's long ball tactics as Manchester United chased second goal at Real Sociedad, claiming there was 'no plan' in 'COMPLETE MESS' of a second half.

Paul Scholes has slammed Erik ten Hag's long-ball tactics against Real Sociedad as 'a bit League Two-ish', with the Red Devils icon claiming the Dutchman had 'no plan' in a 'complete mess' of a second half.

Alejandro Garnacho scored a superb winner for United as they secured a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad, but the result meant the Premier League side fell short in finishing top of the group given how they needed to win by a two-goal margin, with the Spanish side hanging on to advance to the Europa League knockout stages.

It also means United will have to face a Champions League dropout in a play-off fixture for a place in the next round, potentially setting up a meeting with the likes of Barcelona and Juventus.

And while Scholes says United were in 'complete control' for the first hour of the match, the United icon insists Ten Hag's changes went against his own team.


'The second half looked a bit messy, there was no plan,' Scholes told BT Sport. 'The plan was to launch it forward to look for second balls - it was a little bit League One, League Two-ish for me. Maybe a little bit disrespectful.

'I wasn't really sure what he was trying to do. It started with the [Victor] Lindelof substitution. They were in complete control until he went off. Casemiro went to the back, then Marcus [Rashford] came on for [Donny] Van de Beek in the No 10 role. It's not his position, he needs to be on the shoulder of people.

'Rashford needs to be out wide, he needs to be in space. It just became a long ball game – and I'm all for that, it can work – but the second half just became a complete mess having been in control in the first half.

'There were positive substitutions I just didn't think Marcus [Rashford] was in the right position. Bruno [Fernandes] could have swapped with Marcus from the right, Bruno is ineffective on the right. He knows he's going to be. Get Marcus out wide.

'Maybe Marcus is carrying something? He didn't want him to stretch his legs down the right-hand side.

'Marcus is most dangerous out wide. In the centre, he has to take a touch, beat a man then link play, he's capable but it's not his best position. Getting Bruno in the middle would have given them better shape.'

Fellow United great Owen Hargreaves agreed with Scholes' assessment, insisting they never created any meaningful chances in Spain.

'They didn't create much from open play, only their goal in the first half,' Hargreaves said. 'He obviously had a game plan, Harry Maguire came on in the second half, hoping they could nick something.

'They didn't really create anything. In the first half they played really well – if they had carried on they would hav

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