Erik ten Hag hits back at Jamie Carragher’s analysis of Manchester United on Monday Night Football | Football News

Man Utd have been crushed by Fulham at Old Trafford on Saturday within the Premier League; Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher highlighted the problems in Erik ten Hag’s system on Monday Night Football; United are eight factors adrift of the highest 4 and face Nottingham Forest within the FA Cup on Wednesday

Erik ten Hag has hit back at Jamie Carragher’s “subjective” analysis of Manchester United on Monday Night Football.

United’s four-game profitable run within the Premier League ended on Saturday with a 2-1 house defeat to Fulham, protecting them eight factors adrift of the Champions League locations.

Sky Sports’ Carragher highlighted why latest outcomes have masked the issues with Ten Hag’s system, which has left them so prone defensively even when profitable video games.

But Ten Hag fired back at Carragher’s analysis forward of their FA Cup fifth-round tie at Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, saying: “Some analysts are goal of their feedback, [offer] excellent advices, some are very subjective – Jamie Carragher is one of them.

“For the primary second he’s criticising and now he desires to make his level. In the primary half an hour [vs Fulham] he had a degree. Fulham stunned with their midfield setup and we needed to discover a answer. We did after half an hour.

“I wasn’t happy with the defensive efficiency, particularly down the left facet and that has every part to do with willingness, spirit and keenness. That was good in earlier weeks, subsequently we received soccer video games.

“Footballers are usually not robots, generally they’ve unhealthy days. It was unacceptable and now we have to do higher tomorrow.”

The FA Cup represents the final life like probability of silverware for Manchester United this season and Ten Hag harassed the significance of the fixture at Forest.

“We were unbeaten in January and February and we lost one game. It was a poor performance and defeat, we are aware,” he mentioned. “We wish to keep in each competitors. We must win tomorrow. It does not change our strategy – that’s for each sport.

“I do know the long run. But I look at right now, we work on the crew improvement and attempt to win each sport. We look ahead to the long run.”

In full: Carra explains the place Man Utd are going unsuitable

Since Ten Hag joined the membership in 2022, United have confronted 20 or extra pictures in a Premier League sport 12 instances – already double that of Man City and Liverpool underneath Guardiola and Klopp, regardless of the pair having spent a mixed 13 years longer with their golf equipment.

This season alone, Ten Hag has watched his facet face 16 or extra pictures on 14 totally different events, a tally matched solely by Luton and Sheffield United, who each sit within the relegation zone.

Carragher mentioned: “Over the previous couple of weeks, Manchester United have been in nice kind however nonetheless the underlying numbers have been actually poor.

“They’ve been very lucky, so we’re not speaking about them now simply because they misplaced to Fulham.

“It’s about efficiency. They defend like a crew I’ve by no means seen earlier than. They wish to press excessive with a deep block.

“It’s unimaginable. They love to do two issues at the identical time. You can solely do one or the opposite.

“We’re all pressing high or we’re all defending deep. They’re trying to do both.”

Issue one: Lack of understanding?

Carragher mentioned: “I’ve chosen clips in opposition to Fulham, however I may have chosen clips from the place they’ve received video games like in opposition to Aston Villa. It’s nonetheless the identical drawback.

“I wish to spotlight an issue from the very kick-off. If I spotlight Kobbie Mainoo, this isn’t a criticism of him, it is extra of what are his directions earlier than the sport?

“He’s unsure if he needs to be taking care of the holding midfielder or watching the No 10. He’s caught in between.

“It’s straight from the kick-off. You ought to know your job from kick-off. That’s all the way down to the teaching workers.

“You can see the massive drawback then had simply 20 seconds into the sport in opposition to Fulham. It’s been the issue for Manchester United all season.

“They’ve shown they’re a poor side at handling counter-attacks. They’ve got no pace at the back and they’ve got a lack of legs in midfield.”

Issue two: Positional issues in possession

Carragher added: “Another huge drawback for them is once they’ve obtained the ball. Some individuals say there is no patterns of play with Manchester United.

“What’s their philosophy? I inform you one of the the reason why there is no patterns of play and another excuse why they get accomplished on the counter-attack… Look at the positions the gamers discover themselves in when Raphael Varane is on the ball.

“You look the place the right-back is [Diogo Dalot] and he cannot obtain a cross. Mainoo is on the final line. His place cannot be proper. Bruno Fernandes, your No 10 is enjoying like a striker, and on the opposite facet, Victor Lindelof cannot obtain the ball.

“It results in a turnover and what number of instances have you ever seen Manchester United gamers having to run 40 yards back to their very own objective this season?

“Look at those who’re sprinting. The ones who took up unsuitable positions. Dalot, Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and Lindelof. They’re sprinting 30, 40, 50 yards 5 – 6 instances in a sport – therefore why they get so many accidents in a sport.

“With Fulham’s profitable objective, we see that Marcus Rashford will not run whereas Harry Maguire and Christian Eriksen cannot run. That’s a large drawback for them.”

Watch Sheffield United vs Arsenal stay on Monday Night Football from 6.30pm on March 4. Kick-off 8pm.