LONDON:
Erik ten Hag says the media response to Manchester United’s efficiency within the FA Cup semi-final in opposition to Coventry was “a shame”, robustly defending his facet’s achievement in reaching a second straight remaining.
United surrendered a 3-0 lead at Wembley on Sunday and had been saved from a humiliating exit in further time solely by a VAR intervention, which dominated out a purpose for offside within the remaining moments.
They ultimately scraped by in opposition to the Championship facet on penalties to arrange a re-match of final 12 months’s remaining in opposition to Metropolis.
Ten Hag admitted after the match his group had “obtained away with it” however performed down any notion of embarrassment.
However he has been extensively criticised, including to hypothesis he’s on borrowed time at Outdated Trafford.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton mentioned the efficiency would “cement his sacking”.
However Ten Hag was in defiant temper on the eve of United’s Premier League match in opposition to backside facet Sheffield United on Wednesday.
“You requested the query: ‘Is it embarrassing?’ No, the response from you was embarrassing,” he informed reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s the feedback. Prime soccer is about outcomes. We made it to a remaining and we deserved it not solely by this recreation but additionally the opposite video games.
“We misplaced management for 20 minutes, we additionally had unhealthy luck, 3-2, 3-3. We had been very fortunate ultimately, it’s clear. Penalties was superb and we made it to the ultimate, it’s a enormous achievement. Twice, in two years, is magnificent. For me as a supervisor, 4 cup finals in 4 years.
“The feedback are a shame.”
United, winless of their previous 4 Premier League video games, are in peril of lacking out on a European spot subsequent season after a poor marketing campaign.
They’re already realistically out of the race to qualify for the profitable Champions League however nonetheless have the Europa League and the Europa Convention League to purpose for.
“We’ve got to win each recreation, we all know that,” mentioned Ten Hag. “That is what United stands for and that’s our strategy, go from recreation to recreation however we’ve to qualify for Europe and we now have two alternatives — within the league and the FA Cup remaining.”
Ten Hag mentioned he would work carefully with newly appointed technical director Jason Wilcox to find out the longer term path of the membership.
Wilcox, 53, has left second-tier Southampton to take up the job at Outdated Trafford with fast impact.
“We’ve got to kind a partnership, which is essential,” mentioned Ten Hag. “We’re a bit of bit behind within the course of so we’ve to catch up and we’ll go and velocity up the method.”
