Erik ten Hag acknowledged that Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was the lowest point of their season so far. However, he maintains the belief that he is the right manager to lead the club forward.
Michael Olise scored twice, with Tyrick Mitchell and Jean-Philippe Mateta also finding the net on Monday night, plunging United to eighth in the Premier League with a goal difference of minus-three.
United have now conceded 81 goals in all competitions this season, their highest in a single campaign since 1976-77. Their makeshift defense struggled at Selhurst Park, with Casemiro particularly exposed at center-back.
Olise was given too much space in midfield for Palace’s first goal, which came from a throw-in. Ten Hag revealed that the players failed to execute his instructions.
“It’s a goal that shouldn’t happen because we really give clear instructions how we should defend this,” he told Sky Sports. “They didn’t bring it on the pitch. We got hammered.
“It is very disappointing. Under-performing. Definitely the worst defeat. We should have done better.
“We are aware, as a team performance, we were not correct, making big mistakes and not following the plan and the script and the rules we have.
“There was one issue but also on the left side, there were two players doubling up on one player. That’s very poor defending.”
Casemiro missed his tackle on Olise in the build-up to the opener, although Ten Hag insisted that the team as a whole was at fault.
“You can’t put this [down to] one player. It’s a team performance,” he said. “The throw-in when you concede the first goal, that shouldn’t happen.
“That’s the team because we don’t follow the rules, we don’t adapt to a slightly different situation, to organise, to keep control in that situation. Five players over the ball and they have a throw-in, it’s not possible.
“It’s clear, it’s obvious, this is underperforming. We didn’t act how we wanted to and it’s not good enough. We are very disappointed. Our fans were behind us and we should have kept fighting like the fans did.
“There are always reasons, everyone sees our backline – we have huge problems. At the end of the day, we have to deal with it.”
Ten Hag has expressed confidence in remaining at the club beyond the summer, despite the uncertainty over his position as INEOS implements sweeping changes to the football structure. He remained unfazed even after this latest defeat.
“Absolutely,” he said when asked by Sky Sports if he was the right person for the job. “If the right players are available, we have a good squad. We miss almost the whole backline and then we have problems.
“I will keep fighting. I prepared the team in the best way I could do. It was not good enough, I have to take responsibility for that but I will find energy and prepare them for Sunday’s game.”