Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, did not mince his words as he criticized his team’s woeful beginning in their 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest, yet praised their unwavering spirit in orchestrating a comeback.
The Dutch coach expressed his disappointment over United’s poor defensive performance that allowed two early goals within the first four minutes of the match at Old Trafford.
The lapses saw Taiwo Awoniyi and Willy Boly capitalizing on defensive errors to put Forest ahead. However, aided by Forest’s Joe Worrall receiving a red card, United turned the tide with goals from Christian Eriksen, Casemiro, and a Bruno Fernandes penalty.
During a press conference, Ten Hag voiced, “It is a horror start, giving them two goals and making mistakes. But I am very pleased with the comeback, the leadership, how we stayed calm and composed and stuck to the plans and belief and turned it around. And I think we played very good football, out of our plan we scored very good goals.
Although United has secured six points from three games this season, the team has yet to showcase a convincing performance. Following a narrow 1-0 victory against Wolves and a 2-0 loss to Tottenham, this roller-coaster display against Forest highlights United’s inconsistency.
Despite this, Ten Hag found solace in the character displayed by his team, emphasizing their resilience and ability to rally in the face of adversity.
Manchester United’s next challenge is a Premier League clash against Arsenal on September 3. As they strive to find a more consistent form, the team’s ability to harness their fighting spirit could be crucial in determining their success in the league.
