Following Manchester United’s 7-0 defeat against Liverpool, Erik ten Hag has given an insight into the dressing room and his post-match debrief with the players. The Carabao Cup winners were left stunned by six second-half goals at Anfield, handing them their worst defeat since 1931. It was also the biggest defeat of Ten Hag’s career, with the Dutchman looking livid on the touchline as goal after goal hit the back of David de Gea’s net.
At full-time, he entered the pitch to shake the hands of the match officials, and then quickly headed to the tunnel for a difficult post-match debrief. When asked by manutd.com what he told the players, Ten Hag was candid about his anger, but keen to see the bigger picture.
“I said in the dressing room it’s not acceptable, their performance, it’s clear,” he explained. “But it’s only one game, though a big defeat, unacceptable, and especially for our fans, especially against Liverpool. We will bounce back. This team is strong enough to go, reset itself, and we will bounce back. I know my players, they are good characters, and they can bounce back and they will do.”
When asked if he was angry about the game, Ten Hag responded: “Yes, definitely, and surprised. I have seen, the last weeks and months, a team that is really in a winning attitude. In the second half, we did not have a winning attitude at all.”
The history-making fixture showed Liverpool are far from ready to allow their rivals to move ahead of them in the pecking order. It was also a difficult day for Ten Hag in management. He thanked the referees post-match and headed off.
The defeat was a shock to Manchester United fans who had seen their team perform well in recent weeks. However, Ten Hag believes that this defeat is just a blip and that his team will be able to bounce back from it.
It is clear that Ten Hag was angry with his team’s performance, but he was also keen to see the bigger picture. He knows that this is just one game and that his team has the ability to come back from it.
The Dutchman is confident that his players have good characters and that they will be able to bounce back from this defeat. He believes that they have a strong enough mentality to reset themselves and come back stronger.
Overall, Ten Hag’s comments show that he is disappointed with his team’s performance but is also optimistic about their future. He knows that they have the ability to bounce back from this defeat and that they will be able to come back stronger in the future.