Erik Ten Hag Emphasizes The Importance For Manchester United To Bounce Back From Setbacks In Order To Maintain Their Hopes Of Securing A Top-Four Finish
Erik ten Hag has urged his Manchester United squad to “bounce back from setbacks” to stay in the race for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season. The Red Devils’ four-game winning streak in the league was halted by a 2-1 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.
After a cautious first half, Fulham took control in the second half and broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with a powerful first-time strike from Calvin Bassey inside the penalty area.
There were sighs of disappointment around Old Trafford as Manchester United struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. However, Harry Maguire managed to salvage a late equalizer in the 89th minute after missing an earlier chance with a header from close range.
Yet, Fulham snatched the victory in stoppage time with Alex Iwobi’s well-placed right-footed shot, assisted by Adama Traore on a swift counter-attack.
The defeat marks the end of Manchester United’s 16-game unbeaten streak against Fulham in the Premier League and deals a significant blow to their Champions League aspirations. They currently sit in sixth place in the table, trailing fourth-placed Aston Villa by eight points, following Villa’s 4-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at home.
The Red Devils ultimately lacked effectiveness in the attacking third and felt the absence of injured striker Rasmus Hojlund, who had previously scored seven goals in his last six matches.
Hojlund was among seven Man United players sidelined due to injury, while Casemiro also had to leave the pitch due to a head injury shortly after Fulham scored their opening goal.
Ten Hag emphasized the significant impact of Casemiro’s absence, stating that it played into Fulham’s favor. He reiterated that injuries have been a major hindrance for the team’s consistent performance throughout the season.
During a post-match press conference, the Dutchman stated: “It’s undeniable that injuries affect our performance. We are without a left back (with both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia sidelined), and Casemiro’s absence is a big setback for us. [Lisandro] Martinez is also unavailable. However, we have a squad, and despite these setbacks, we should have won today.”
“We need to cope without these players, overcome setbacks, and focus on preparing for the next game.”
When asked about Manchester United’s chances of closing the eight-point gap to Aston Villa in fourth place, Ten Hag remarked, “I’ve been saying since January that every game is like a final, and now we want many finals. Unfortunately, we lost one today.”
Despite the defeat, Ten Hag expressed satisfaction with the “excellent character” displayed by his players against Fulham and commended their recent performances.
“We have been performing very well lately, but now we’ve encountered some setbacks. Today, we had the opportunity to win this game, and we should have won because the team demonstrated remarkable character,” he said.
“I believe we started both halves slowly. Casemiro’s absence in the second half was significant, and it affected our stability, leading to the concession of the opening goal at that moment.”
“The goal was entirely preventable, but credit to the team for showing resilience. We fought back, and although we had chances to win, we let the victory slip away.”
Manchester United will now briefly divert their attention from the Premier League to the FA Cup as they prepare to face Nottingham Forest in a fifth-round match at the City Ground on Wednesday.
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