Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag may have delivered the club’s first trophy in six years but has still come in for heavy criticism after back-to-back defeats started to jolt the Red Devils.
Richard Keys has trained his guns at the Manchester United manager, voicing doubts whether the club are really in a “better place” under the Dutchman despite the latter having led the club to a Carabao Cup trophy in February, ending a six-year wait for silverware. Undeniably he has also led United to the FA Cup final. On top of that, they are now also hoping to garner nine points from the final four games to ensure a top-four spot and Champions League football next season.
However, Keys is not convinced, arguing that this should be the bare minimum the Dutch gaffer should at least achieve after a big-spending summer. With the recent back-to-back defeats, both by a single goal against Brighton, followed by West Ham, there is now no guarantee of a top four spot.
“Ten Hag spent a record £220m last summer – more than United have ever spent in one window – to take them precisely…..nowhere,” Keys wrote.
“And he’s run out of excuses. There’s only so many times you can blame players for being ‘unprofessional’, or for not ‘sticking to the game plan’. That talk all wears a bit thin in a dressing room after a while.”
Keys thinks nothing of United’s chances of beating the Cityzens at Wembley in June, which leaves only the top-four carrot dangling.
“Ten Hag MUST deliver CL football. Nothing else will do,” he added.
“If he does – ok – he buys himself another season. If he doesn’t – a League Cup win won’t be enough from this campaign. There was a time when United fans were embarrassed to win that trophy. How times have changed.”
United are now just one point clear of Liverpool in fifth-place after their successive losses to Brighton and West Ham, although they have a game in hand. Also, the Red Devils can no longer secure Champions League qualification with a Europa League win, after having been despatched by Sevilla at the quarter-final stage.
Ten Hag’s players have now been given two days leave as the gaffer is hoping this will help energize his squad before the next four vital league games commence. Three of United’s remaining four fixtures are at Old Trafford, beginning with a meeting with Wolves on May 13.
“It’s the first time since Christmas that those players have a full week,” Ten Hag told reporters after the loss at the London Stadium. “We have to reset, reload, get the energy back and keep going.
“But tiredness is in your head. If you want, if you have the willingness, you can take it. It’s now up to the players, me and the coaching staff to be together, get the willingness in and the belief that we can take it and this team has it.”