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‘It’s unforgivable!’ – Erik ten Hag slams Manchester United players for flouting his rules

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'It's unforgivable!' - Erik ten Hag slams Manchester United players for flouting his rules

In a scathing assessment, Erik ten Hag has expressed his dismay at Manchester United‘s performance in their 3-2 defeat against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday night, criticizing his players for not following the rules.

The Red Devils initially took the lead in Las Vegas but suffered a double blow with two quick-fire goals from Donyell Malen just before half-time.

The first goal showcased chaotic defending, while the second resulted from a Victor Lindelof pass that gifted possession to a Dortmund player on the edge of the box.

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Although United managed to level the scores through Antony shortly after the restart, their performance in the latter stages of the match was characterized by lethargy and errors.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka‘s wayward pass allowed Youssoufa Moukoko to score a late winner, sealing United’s third consecutive defeat.

While the defeat against Wrexham was effectively played by a youth team, Ten Hag was particularly disappointed with his players’ second-half display against Dortmund.

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Reflecting on the performance in an interview with MUTV, the Dutch coach said, “Two parts. The first hour was good, performed well, playing as a team, a lot of dynamism, good pressing, so it was really enjoyable to see, and that is what I wanted to say to the team at half-time.”

“Then all of a sudden, they gave away two goals – and they were really giveaways! So that was already annoying.”

The last half-an-hour was especially concerning for Ten Hag as he criticized the players for not adhering to the team’s principles in various aspects of the game

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He stated, “That was a poor performance. Didn’t follow the rules at all. Not in pressing, not in building up, and not in attacking. So there were 11 individuals finally on the pitch, and that wasn’t good at all.”

When asked about the overall usefulness of the tour, Ten Hag acknowledged some positive moments but expressed his disappointment with the goals conceded.

He asserted, “I think it was a good tour, but you want to finish with a good performance. You see only 60 minutes where I was pleased with it – but not with the goals we conceded, because that was really poor.”

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He specifically pointed out the defensive lapses and the lack of control and responsibility on the ball. He emphasized that such mistakes are unacceptable, even in a friendly match, saying, “That can’t happen. It’s unforgivable, even if it’s a friendly.”

Amid questions about fatigue due to the long tour, Ten Hag dismissed any excuses and urged his players to perform at their best regardless of the circumstances.

He emphasized, “You play so long in top football! There are never excuses! We have to perform no matter what. And then you have to be ruthless and win games because we are Man United, and the fans expect wins from us.”

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As Manchester United looks to regain their winning form, Ten Hag’s strong words serve as a call for improvement and a reminder of the standards expected from the players.

The team will need to address the issues highlighted by the coach to ensure a more successful season ahead.

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