Ten Hag: I am grateful to our fans

Ten Hag praises fans for Selhurst Park support

Monday 06 May 2024 23:08

Erik ten Hag praised Manchester United's incredible away support at Selhurst Park in Monday night’s disappointing 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.

The Reds, without a number of players absent through injury, were well beaten on what was a difficult night in south London, where our supporters stayed with us right until the end.

It’s something the boss appreciated, as he admitted the performance of the players was “by far not good enough”.

Read what the boss had to say in his post-match interviews with Sky Sports, BBC Sport and MUTV, plus his press conference, below...

Ten Hag: We lacked fighting spirit Video

Erik ten Hag says his team didn't have the same passion and commitment our fans showed at Selhurst Park...

THE FANS WERE ALWAYS BEHIND US

“It is clear and it is obvious, this is underperforming. We didn't act how we want to do it and it's by far not good enough. We are very disappointed, but the fans were always behind us and we keep fighting, like the fans did. I was really grateful [to the fans]. They back us. They see also we have our problems. You have to stick together. You have to take responsibility. The fans gave us such huge and tremendous support."

WE SHOULD PERFORM BETTER

“As Manchester United, we should perform better. The players who were available should do better. It's a deserved defeat. The performance wasn't what we expected. There are always reasons [why we are not good enough]. Everyone can see our backline, there we have huge problems but, at the end of the day, we have to deal with it. We should have done better than we did.”

HUGE RESPECT FOR EVANS

"Huge respect for Jonny that he stepped in [for Harry Maguire], but he wasn't ready to go into the game. He only had two days' training, so that is one example. But he played for 90 minutes and it was a real reward that he did this. But of course he can't play to the levels what he can normally do."

WE HAVE HAD HUGE PROBLEMS

“All season, we have huge problems and by now, this is the fourth defeat in this calendar year, so that's not a lot and every time, we had huge problems and many times, we sort it out. Today, we didn't."

MY FOCUS IS ON THE TEAM

“I don't think about this [my future]. 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. I think only about making my team better."

DEFEAT DOWN TO THE WHOLE TEAM

"You can't put this to one player. It's a team performance. The throw-in where you concede the first goal, that shouldn't happen and that is as a team because we don't follow their rules. We don't adapt to the different situations to organise, to keep control in those situations. Five players over the ball and they have a throw-in, it is not possible."

Our fans show their dedication Video

Watch this clip of our supporters passionately singing after the full-time whistle at Selhurst Park...

FIRST GOAL SHOULD NOT HAPPEN

&#x2028“There are five players there and that is a goal that shouldn't happen because we really give clear instructions of how we should defend this. They didn't bring it on the pitch and we got hammered. But, it was what they showed but also, the left side, there was two players doubling up on one player and so, that is very poor defending."

WE HAVE TO KEEP FIGHTING

“You know that [how damaging the result is], especially when you come to the end. But still, we have nine points to play [for] and we have to fight for the nine points. We have to put it right on Sunday. We have to learn from this game and improve.”

JASON WILCOX’S SUPPORT

“He's my sounding board, he will be. At the end of the day, I have to do it with the players that are available."

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