ERIK TEN HAG insists he can handle the pressure following Manchester United’s worst start to a season in 61 years.
They have suffered consecutive 3-0 home defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle and have now lost eight of their opening 15 games in all competitions.
GettyErik ten Hag is under pressure after a poor start to the season[/caption]
GettyMan Utd have lost back-to-back games 3-0[/caption]
It has turned up the heat on the Red Devils boss but he is not hiding as he proved when he fronted up and answered all questions in a press conference ahead of the trip to Fulham’s Craven Cottage.
And the Dutchman maintains he has what it takes to turn things around at Old Trafford and is using every waking hour to do just that.
Ten Hag, 53, said: “Always, when the team is not playing well, you think about it, to get it right.
“I need my relaxation to get energy but for now it’s 24/7, you think, ‘How do I get this right?’
“I have to take the responsibility and, yes, share responsibility and, yeah, I trust the players.”
That trust in his underperforming stars is born out of their success last season, when they reached both domestic cup finals, winning the Carabao Cup and finishing third in the Premier League.
He also points to examples from this season, like last month’s dramatic win against Brentford when they fought back with two goals in added time, as proof the spirit in the camp is right.
Ten Hag said: “I have seen many moments last year and lately that they fight, there is the spirit, for instance against Brentford.
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“If there was no fight or spirit or characters in the dressing room you couldn’t do this. They are positive. They want to put this right.
“We know the standards and have to match the standards every day. We have had two big setbacks but we will fight back.
“This dressing room is strong, the staff is strong and the manager is strong to put it right.
“We have to win and I don’t want to find excuses if we are not winning. That is the demand and I can’t walk away from that.
“Sometimes you have difficult periods but when you stick together — and we are together — then you come through those difficult periods.”
Pundits like former United star Gary Neville have tried to give Ten Hag a get-out by claiming it is down to the structure behind the scenes under the Glazer family.
But the manager has no complaints and added: “I wouldn’t work here if I thought it wasn’t right.”
United fans thought the appointment of former Ajax boss Ten Hag at the Theatre of Dreams would bring with it the beautiful game.
GettyUnited were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle[/caption]
After Sunday’s derby defeat, he surprised many by saying he could not play as he did with Ajax with this set of players.
At United’s Carrington HQ yesterday, he went into more detail about precisely what he meant in a two-minute rant.
He said: “I can’t play like Ajax because I had different players, so I came here with my philosophy based on possession but also to combine it with the DNA of Manchester United, with the players, with the competences and characters of the players.
“We played very good football last season. This season, the philosophy is not different.
“We want to go more direct but the explanation for my direct thought was, ‘I want to go for long balls’.
“No, I don’t want Andre Onana to go for long balls. I want to play out from the back.
“We tried it every game, also against City but if an opponent is going in a high press, it is a good option to go direct.
“What I meant with directness is we want to press from different blocks and then go direct because we have the players like Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford, Antony, Bruno Fernandes and Scott McTominay who are very good at it and with the passing of Christian Eriksen and then the full-backs joining in.
“That was my idea. I explained it very clear.”
However, it was put to him that right now, United do not have a discernible style of play.
Ten Hag replied: “I don’t want to say that, that is too strong.
“The intention is clear but definitely it is the case the execution isn’t there.
“But at the moment we have so many changes every game, we can’t line up the same two or three games in a row and we have to swap.
“Last season was the same with one player but now we miss often players in the back four and every time we have to adjust.
GettyRaphael is fit again for United[/caption]
“That doesn’t help your routines and also the midfield we have to adjust, missing Casemiro, an important player.”
Raphael Varane is back in the squad to face Fulham after missing the midweek Carabao Cup defeat to Newcastle through illness.
Casemiro came off at half-time and has a hamstring injury which could sideline him for a month.
It really does feel like a must-win match at Fulham.
Ten Hag admitted: “We have to win every game. We prepare very good for every game and I am sure the players are ready.”
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