‘We won, after City, the most trophies – I’m sorry for you’: Defiant Erik ten Hag gets into fiery exchange with Mail Sport reporter as he defends Man United reign after latest Liverpool embarrassment
Erik ten Hag got into a fiery exchange with a Mail Sport reporter as he defended his team following their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool.
The Red Devils were outclassed by their bitter rivals on a difficult day at Old Trafford as Luis Diaz struck twice before Mohamed Salah sealed the victory following a poor performance from the home side.
Following the match, a defiant Ten Hag defended his team insisting they have ‘players to build in this season,’ that his side ‘will be fine’ and that they will have a ‘big chance to lift another trophy’ come the end of the season – despite admitting they need to improve.
After the Dutchman’s comments, Mail Sport’s football editor Ian Ladyman asked the Dutchman what made him so confident that ‘it’s the players that are the problem and not your coaching’.
Ten Hag fired back: ‘So, what do you mean? Tell me then, maybe you can explain me which mistakes we make regular?’
Erik ten Hag got into a fiery exchange with a Mail Sport reporter after their loss to Liverpool
Ten Hag’s side were outclassed by their bitter rivals and looked poor in a 3-0 defeat at home
The 3-0 loss leaves United 14th in the league, after also losing 2-1 to Brighton the prior week
Ten Hag fired back at Ladyman after Mail Sport’s football editor asked the Dutchman what makes him confident that the players are the problem and not his coaching
Ladyman then listed the mistakes that United make, as he said: ‘Constantly turning over the ball in your own half, playing the ball out from the back, getting mugged, chances coming off the back of it, counter attacks where you are outnumbered, giving up endless chances.’
Ten Hag asked if Ladyman was ‘sure’ to which the Mail Sport reporter affirmed ‘absolutely’.
The Dutchman then added: ‘I don’t think otherwise we would win trophies as we did and to beat big opponents so I am sorry for you.’
Ladyman then pointed out: ‘With the greatest respect you did brilliantly against Manchester City in the final, you almost lost to Coventry in the semi-final I mean come on let’s have a realistic view of what happened.’
Ten Hag doubled down as he said: ‘I think we won, after City, the most trophies in English football so I’m sorry for you.’
The Dutchman’s claims are correct as they have won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup since his arrival in the summer of 2022.
However, last season United finished eighth in the league and were knocked out of the Champions League finishing bottom of a group including Galatasaray, Copenhagen and Bayern Munich.
It’s not the first time that there has been a fiery exchange between Ten Hag and Ladyman after they clashed following the FA Cup final.
Ten Hag has defended his record saying they have won the most trophies after Man City since his arrival
Ten Hag’s boast comes despite them recording their worst ever finish in the Premier League last season
Liverpool secured an impressive victory with a brace from Luis Diaz and goal by Mo Salah
Arne Slot picked up three points on his first trip to Old Trafford since replacing Jurgen Klopp
After United’s 2-1 victory over Man City at Wembley, Ten Hag insisted in his press conference that United were exactly where he wanted them to be.
However, Ladyman pushed back on this and pointed out that the Red Devils recorded their worst ever finish in the Premier League era.
Ten Hag responded at the time: ‘When you make like this, I’m sorry to say but you don’t have any knowledge about football and managing a football team.
‘When you don’t have the players available and then you can’t perform, so simple as that, so if that’s the opinion then it’s no problem, I go anywhere else and I keep winning trophies.’
Ladyman responded: ‘That performance today, I know you had players back, the performance with the organisation and the tactics etc was such a good performance, but we haven’t seen much of that from a Erik ten Hag team this season and that is your responsibility whoever you have on the field, is it not?
United’s owners decided to stick with Ten Hag after a poor season – salvaged by the FA Cup – but will be unhappy after the Red Devils lost two of their opening three league games
Ten Hag doubled down: ‘Then you don’t understand managing a football career.
‘When players aren’t there I can’t train them, coach them so they can’t perform and develop and get the results that we want.’
There is big pressure on Ten Hag this season after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS decided to stick with the Dutchman following their FA Cup final victory in May.
United spent around £200m this summer with the additions of Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui.
However, they have not made the best start to the season losing against Brighton and Liverpool, while needing an 87th minute from Zirkzee to pick up the three points in their opener against Fulham.
