Ten Hag: Teaching Manchester United swimming with palms tied

Erik ten Hag mentioned managing Manchester United is like “swimming along with your palms behind your again” after Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Outdated Trafford inflicted a file ninth dwelling defeat of the season and left United outsiders to safe European qualification.

Leandro Trossard’s first-half aim moved Arsenal to the highest of the Premier League desk going into the ultimate week of the season, however FA Cup finalists United have now gained simply one in every of their final 9 video games in all competitions — in opposition to relegated Sheffield United.

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Ten Hag was as soon as once more pressured to deploy midfielder Casemiro at centre-half due to a defensive harm disaster, whereas Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Harry Maguire and Mason Mount had been amongst a variety of high-profile harm absentees.

Having cited the crew’s harm issues for the membership’s depressing season, former Ajax coach Ten Hag mentioned his job has grow to be more and more tough.

“Any supervisor can all the time do one thing higher, however I’m two years right here and I had just one time the total group of gamers, and you can not progress a crew with so many accidents,” Ten Hag mentioned. “It’s like swimming along with your palms behind your again. It’s important to maintain your head above water and we try to do this.

“It should not be like this, however I return to all the issues we’ve got and also you then analyse the efficiency. It’s important to see that we had been aggressive, however that’s not what you need, in fact; we’ve got to win, we’ve got to win each recreation.

“However in the meanwhile, we’re not at this place and undoubtedly not this crew with the accidents.”

United can seal qualification for the Europa League by beating Manchester Metropolis within the FA Cup last later this month. One other path to Europe’s second-tier competitors can be to beat sixth-place Newcastle at Outdated Trafford on Wednesday forward of the ultimate weekend, however seventh-place Chelsea can even pip United to the Europa League spot relying on outcomes.

Ten Hag mentioned it could be devastating for United to overlook out on Europe altogether for the primary time in 10 years.

“It is rather damaging,” he mentioned. “That’s the state of affairs we’re in, however nonetheless we are able to get there. We’ve got the alternatives to take them and combat, even when the issues are large, everybody is aware of this.

“We’ve got to deserve it, particularly the followers, they observe us on Monday [at Crystal Palace], they perceive the place we’re in. As we speak they’re behind us from the primary whistle, they see the crew wants backing and assist, so we’re united and that is excellent.”