Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, finds himself deeply concerned as his team has endured their worst start to a Premier League season, culminating in a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
Not since the 1989/90 campaign, a period when Sir Alex Ferguson was rumored to be on the brink of being sacked, has United faced the disheartening statistic of losing four of their first seven league matches.
However, the current United squad suffered a similar fate with Joachim Andersen’s first-half goal for Palace, leaving Old Trafford echoing with boos from the disillusioned crowd.
It appeared that United was turning a corner after securing a Carabao Cup victory over the same opponents just days ago, following a triumph at Burnley last weekend. Yet, the pressure is now mounting on Ten Hag.
When questioned about his understanding of the crowd’s frustration, he responded, “I understand that when we play, whether at home or away, against Crystal Palace, we are expected to win—with all due respect. I know every Premier League game is challenging, and we must deliver our best. However, I understand that fans expect a victory, and we didn’t win; we lost.”
He continued, “Of course, this is a concern. We need to be more consistent; this is not the standard expected from Manchester United. The expectation is that we string together a series of wins. We must perform better than we are now.”
Ten Hag acknowledged the challenges but refrained from making excuses, stating firmly, “I can provide reasons, but you will interpret them as excuses, and there are no excuses; we must win.”
Manchester United has encountered considerable inconsistency this season, experiencing difficulties on their home turf. While they narrowly defeated Wolves and had to stage a comeback against Nottingham Forest, overcoming a 2-0 deficit, they suffered a resounding defeat against Brighton and now this setback against Palace.
Despite these challenges, Ten Hag emphasized that his team is far from being a soft touch, saying, “We’ve lost two consecutive Premier League games, but I wouldn’t draw that conclusion. However, we must improve, and that’s certainly the case. Our body language must convey that Old Trafford is an impenetrable fortress, where leaving without a loss is unthinkable. We need to raise our game.”
On the opposing side, Palace manager Roy Hodgson savored a historic achievement, becoming the first Premier League manager to oversee five successive games without defeat at Old Trafford.