Erik ten Hag’s Frustrations Grow as Newcastle Defeat Manchester United
In a disappointing turn of events for Erik ten Hag and Manchester United, their hopes of finding respite from their Champions League struggles were quickly dashed by Newcastle. The Magpies dominated the first half of the match, outshooting the Red Devils 14 to 2, leaving Ten Hag with a clear target to express his frustrations.
Ten Hag’s Frustrations on Display
Just before halftime, Ten Hag was seen berating Anthony Martial and waving his arms in frustration. He ultimately substituted Martial in the 61st minute, shortly after Anthony Gordon scored the opening goal. This marks three years since Martial last completed a full match in the Premier League. However, his replacement, Rasmus Hojlund, did not fare much better.
Faltering Strikers Pose a Problem
The underperformance of both number 9s is undoubtedly a concern for Ten Hag, and it may be a problem he struggles to solve. Reacting to Ten Hag’s inability to change the course of the game, talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent, Alex Crook, expressed his worries about the situation.
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Crook stated, “I’ve defended Ten Hag as the issues at Manchester United run deep. But he isn’t helping himself. He looks lost on the touchline.” Crook also criticized Ten Hag for not making changes at halftime and described Marcus Rashford and Martial as passengers throughout the match.