Erik ten Hag vows to ‘fight’ on amid questions over his future at Man United after defeat by Newcastle

Manchester United manager, Erik Ten Hag insists he will fight for his future after Newcastle dumped his side out of the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

The Red Devils were easily brushed aside 3-0 in a fourth-round repeat of last season’s Carabao Cup final with the limp end to their trophy defence following hot on the heels of a one-sided Manchester derby defeat by the same scoreline on Sunday.

It is the first time since 1962 that United have lost back-to-back home games 3-0, while they had previously not lost eight or more of their first 15 matches to start a season since the 1962/63 campaign.

The humiliating defeat cast doubt over his future as Manchester United manager, as the loss was against the second team of Newcastle, but Ten Haag has come out to call himself a ‘fighter.’

In the space of 90 minutes, Ten Hag went from 8-1 odds favourite for the sack to second favourite to be axed among Premier League managers as he lost for the eighth time in 15 games this season.

Loud boos greeted both the half-time and full-time whistles on Wednesday evening, with frustrated home fans understandably flooding to the exits early again with their side still having led for just 29 minutes in total at Old Trafford so far this term.

Ten Hag was subjected to frequent chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” by the jubilant 7,000 travelling Newcastle supporters, but insists he is confident that he can turn this predicament around as he vowed to fight for his job amid the growing doubts.

‘It is below the standards everyone expect from Manchester United – it is not good enough by far,’ admitted the United boss.

‘At this moment we are in a bad place. I take responsibility for it. I see it as a challenge. I am a fighter and I am in that fight and I have to make sure that I share the responsibility with my players and that we stick together and fight together, and get better results.

‘We have to put it right. It is my team and they are not performing. I am responsible. As a team we are not good enough and whatever the reasons are, there is no space for excuses.

‘We have to do things better and we have to raise our standards because otherwise you never get the right levels of performance and never get the results.

‘But I am a fighter. I know it is not always going up and we have a lot of setbacks this season so far, but also you have to deal with it and that is never an excuse.’

Asked if he doubts his ability to turn United’s fortunes around, Ten Hag replied: ‘I understand it when the results are not there it is also a logical process that they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it. At all my clubs I have done it and also last year here I did it as well.’

‘We have to do things right and at a certain level, at the minimum level to win games,’ said Ten Hag. ‘Obviously, on Sunday and tonight were far from that.

‘We are Manchester United and it is expected you can deal with that pressure. I heard the fans backing us. We don’t deserve it at this moment but I am happy they are behind us.’