‘I will keep fighting’ – Erik ten Hag reacts to Manchester United’s humiliating defeat to Crystal Palace
Pressure piled on to Ten Hag after a disastrous night at Selhurst Park
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag at Selhurst Park
Manchester United’s disastrous season hit a new low point as they were hammered 4-0 by Crystal Palace, with manager Erik ten Hag insisting he is not ready to quit after a humiliating night at Selhurst Park.
A Michael Olise masterclass helped Crystal Palace complete a first ever Premier League double over Manchester United and inflict further misery on Ten Hag’s team with a miserable drubbing in south London.
Olise has been linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford and ran amok at Selhurst Park with a dazzling display, scoring twice to move on to nine goals in 12 league starts this season.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag rues ‘worst defeat’ but vows to fight on
Two sparkling efforts by Olise in the 12th and 66th minutes bookended this latest superb result for Oliver Glasner’s side, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell also on target to make it four wins in five for Palace.
It was another sorry display for Ten Hag, though, with Jonny Evans and Casemiro given a torrid night.
Injury-hit United have won only two of their last 10 league matches and could be set for a lowest ever Premier League finish, with Ten Hag’s future as the club’s manager now appears to be close to untenable.
With United in danger of missing out of qualifying for any European competition next season, Ten Hag looks almost certain to be replaced this summer and yet he has insisted he is not ready to quit.
“I will keep fighting. I prepared the team in the best way I could do,” said Ten Hag.
“I prepare the team in the best way I can. We have many problems. The only focus I have is to perform better with my team.
“It was not good enough, I have to take responsibility for that but I will find energy and prepare them for Sunday's game.
“It's clear, it's obvious, this is underperforming. We didn't act how we wanted to and it's not good enough. We are very disappointed.
“Our fans were behind us and we should have kept fighting like the fans did.
“There are always reasons, everyone sees our backline - we have huge problems. At the end of the day, we have to deal with it and we should have done better.”
The inept performance of midfielder Casemiro highlighted United’s decline, but Ten Hag insisted the veteran midfielder was not the only reason for United’s crushing defeat.
“You can't put this down to one player. It's a team performance,” he added. “The throw-in when you concede the first goal, that shouldn't happen.
“That's the team because we don't follow the rules, we don't adapt to a slightly different situation, to organise, to keep control in that situation.
“Five players over the ball and they have a throw-in, it's not possible.”
