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Football

23rd Jan 2023

Erik ten Hag criticises Man United players after late defeat

Callum Boyle

United were beaten by Arsenal on Sunday

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has criticised his players after their last-minute defeat against Arsenal on Sunday.

Eddie Nketiah scored the winner in stoppage time to deny United a hard-fought point and in turn, sent the Gunners five points clear at the top of the table.

Marcus Rashford opened the scoring with a stunning long-range effort before Nketiah quickly equalised.

Bukayo Saka gave the hosts the lead however United came fighting back as Lisandro Martínez’s diving header earned them an equaliser.

It wasn’t meant to be though as Nketiah was in the right place at the right time to direct the ball past David De Gea and send the Emirates Stadium into raptures.

It was the second time in as many games that United had conceded in the dying moments after Michael Olise’s free-kick in stoppage time against Crystal Palace last Wednesday.

 

After the game, Ten Hag admitted he was unhappy with the defending for the three goals conceded in North London and accused his players of lacking discipline to hold on for the point.

“Maybe in the next couple of hours we realise we are in a good position, realise we are in a good development, a good process, but at this moment I am annoyed,” he said.

“I also told the players if you want to win trophies, titles, we have to change our mentality.

“Because it’s not possible you are in a top game, you’re making three such big mistakes where you concede goals. Especially the last goal, you have to feel the game on that point. A point was the maximum and then you have to take the point and you can’t give such a goal away like we did on top level. Then you can’t win trophies.

“I think it’s too much to talk about but it was like a pack of cards with the goals we concede, starting with the corner and then we make mistakes.