Erik ten Hag has stood up for David de Gea’s blunder in the lost away game against West Ham United. The Manchester United manager emphasized how important the goalkeeper has been to his team this season, but was disappointed by the consequences of the blunder.
Disappointed Ten Hag challenges Man Utd to show character again
De Gea was completely wrong with the only goal of the game. A long shot from Saïd Benrahma, which should not have caused any problems, ended up in Manchester United’s goal after a grab. After the 1-0 defeat, Ten Hag could not ignore that topic of conversation and said the following to the BBC: “Mistakes are part of football. As a team you have to deal with that and stand back. It is a team sport. Looking at this season, he is the one who has kept clean sheets the most times, also with the help of the team. This can happen. In football everyone has to take responsibility.”
Cold-blooded
The United goalkeeper was unlucky that his blunder was not camouflaged by goals on the other side. Ten Hag’s team missed several big opportunities, especially in the opening phase. “We need to be more cold-blooded,” was the manager’s simple conclusion. “We created enough and had the game in our hands. But I can’t blame my team. They gave everything.”
A look at the rankings will now lead to concerns for many United supporters. The Red Devils have only won once in their last four league games. The lead on number five Liverpool, which has played a game more, has shrunk to one point. Fourth place leading to a Champions League ticket is seriously at stake. “In this season we have already had to deal with some major setbacks and we have always reacted strongly to them. So we have to show character again and look ahead. We must not feel sorry for ourselves. There are only four league games left. We need energy, now it’s time to get our heads fresh again and recharge ourselves,” was Ten Hag’s motivational message.
United indeed showed character earlier this season. Half a week after the 7-0 defeat at Liverpool, Real Betis convincingly won 4-1 in the Europa League. Three days after Sevilla’s Europa League elimination, United qualified for the FA Cup final at Wembley at the expense of Brighton & Hove Albion. Manchester City is the opponent on June 3. That game marks the end of the season for United.
