Manchester United have lost a match for the thirteenth time this season, even though football’s current haul is only five months old. Manchester United have not suffered this many defeats before Christmas since 1930. Coach Erik ten Hag may have arrived by Christmas but the pressure on the team is higher than ever.
The total number of defeats from last season is now equal. Something went wrong over and over again on Saturday afternoon. Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus powered West Ham United to victory, taking the London outfit to sixth place in the Premier League. United sit eighth with an average of 1.56 points per game.
Add to that their elimination from both the League Cup and the Champions League – United finished fourth in the group and did not even winter in Europe – and there is reason to panic at Old Trafford. Especially since Ten Hag’s team had not scored a goal in four matches.
take responsibility
“We have players who can do this. They have proven this in the past. We also have to accept the fact that we failed as a team,” Ten Hag said after the match against West Ham. “We have to take responsibility. Football means winning matches and scoring goals.”
Injuries to players like Lisandro Martínez and Casemiro do not help, but the players on the field are not performing properly either. Rasmus Højlund, who shined with 5 goals in the Champions League at the beginning of this season, was left dry in the away game and scored his last goal 14 matches ago. These are not good figures for a striker who came to Old Trafford for around 74 million euros.
Antony, bought from Ajax for 95 million euros last season, makes things even better. He was at fault once in nineteen games. The club’s top scorer this season was defensive midfielder Scott McTominay with six goals.
“The actors are good enough”
Ten Hag knows things have to be better. “We have problems and setbacks due to injuries, but the players on the field are good enough to win the match.”
“It’s also about getting into the box. “You have to make sure you have the desire to get there and you have the desire to score goals.”
Ten Hag and United have another chance to get three points on Boxing Day. The home game against the surprising number three Aston Villa, who have the same points as number two Liverpool, looks set to be another serious challenge for the “Red Devils”.
Source: NOS
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
