Ten Hag reacts to United's worst performance from not following the plan and script

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Manchester United boss ErikTen Hag reacts to United's worst performance from not following the plan and script  Selhurst Park, London, UK

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00:00 The performance and the result, Leon, how do you imagine?

00:03 Yeah, it's, as you say, very disappointing.

00:10 Underperforming, definitely.

00:13 Worst defeat, we should have done better.

00:16 So, yeah, there were many things.

00:18 There was a team performance that was not correct,

00:22 making big mistakes, not following, say, the plan and the script and the rules we have.

00:28 Of course, also individual mistakes, but then we should cover each other,

00:33 and we didn't do that, we let each other down, and then you get a worse defeat.

00:38 Individually, does that come down to individual performances as well?

00:43 Some of the performances clearly are not up to the standards that they would expect.

00:51 Absolutely not, that's the truth.

00:54 Also, we know not all the players are positioning in their favourite positions

01:00 because we have huge problems, but then we have to help each other.

01:05 You mentioned it's your big defeat,

01:09 you say it's your low point of the season too, what's been a bad season for you?

01:17 Yes, it was very poor, how we gave the goals away,

01:24 especially when we prepared a team and then conceded the first goal.

01:29 That is very disappointing, how easy giveaways should happen,

01:38 and especially not in the circumstances we are in.

01:42 Because we have problems, but then you have to help each other out.

01:47 In spite of the injuries, you haven't been huge,

01:50 but was that performance and result you saw coming at all?

01:55 Was that out of the blue, basically?

01:58 Actually, yes, because this is the fourth defeat in 2024 so far,

02:06 and you have always seen a team that was playing and following a script,

02:11 and that's why we didn't have a lot of wins, it was hard to beat.

02:17 Today, we were easy to beat.

02:20 Looking at that form start, it was quite stark,

02:24 are you confident that all the players are playing together,

02:27 that they all commit to it, doing as well as possible?

02:30 Yes, I'm sure they had the right intention to come on,

02:37 and they were eager from the start, but once we were playing,

02:43 we didn't perform. Individuals didn't perform and as a team we didn't perform.

02:50 Was Joey Evans' lack of fitness, did that compromise your plans

02:54 before the game even started?

02:56 He wasn't going to start and leave Harry in the spin?

02:59 No, definitely not.

03:01 Huge respect for Joey that he stepped in,

03:04 he wasn't ready to go into this game and he only had two days training.

03:09 That is one example, but he played for 90 minutes,

03:14 and it was really a reward that he did this.

03:22 But, of course, he can't play to the levels he can normally do.

03:29 After the result against Coventry City, you said Manchester United

03:34 need to have the lead of the remaining games,

03:37 and play teams like Manchester City.

03:39 At a time like this, where is your belief coming from that things will improve?

03:43 Because, as I said, we had only 40 defeats so far,

03:49 and we had all season big problems,

03:52 and especially the last week we had big problems in the back line.

03:56 But all the time there was a team with a fighting spirit,

04:00 and it was a team that was hard to beat.

04:02 As I said, today we were easy to beat.

04:04 Is there something that you are seeing behind the scenes

04:08 that you'd like fans to see more of in the future?

04:11 You have seen the fans, they are begging us.

04:14 From minute one to the end, we are behind the team.

04:17 So I guess they see the problems we have,

04:21 and I really have been pleased with their support,

04:26 and the team is really pleased with it.

04:28 We should have taken their fighting spirit into the pitch.

04:33 Last question.

04:35 You said about players fighting like the fans,

04:38 and not being able to follow their instructions.

04:40 How worrying is it for you when a professional footballer...

04:43 I didn't say instructions, I said the script,

04:46 and I said following the rules, I didn't say the instructions.

04:49 You said in another interview that you didn't follow the instructions.

04:53 There was a script, and they should follow that, and they didn't do it.

04:59 How worrying is that in terms of professionals?

05:02 Professionals shouldn't allow this,

05:06 because it was such an easy give-away goal,

05:09 I have five players over the ball, and they have a throw-in.

05:13 It's not the first time this season this happens.

05:16 I know we have young players,

05:19 but even young players should learn that when they play in the first team,

05:23 they should take responsibility.

05:25 OK, thank you very much.

05:27 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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