A disastrous performance by Manchester United in their 3-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has once again put Erik ten Hag under scrutiny, but the embattled manager expressed confidence that he remains aligned with the club's owners. The match at Old Trafford saw United concede a goal within the first three minutes, as Micky van de Ven effortlessly ran half the length of the pitch to set up Brennan Johnson for the opener. This early setback seemed to foreshadow a rout.
Despite the mounting pressure, Ten Hag, whose position was a topic of speculation throughout last season, maintained that he was not worried about his job security. 'No, I am not thinking about this,' he told reporters. 'We all made the decision to stay together, as ownership, as a leadership group, in the summer. We also knew it would take some time.' He added, 'I think we will get better. And we all are on the same page, in one boat together, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, and the players group as well. So no, I don't have that concern.'
The loss left United, who finished a dismal eighth in the Premier League last season, in 12th place after six games. This was their second consecutive 3-0 home league defeat, following their loss to Liverpool on September 1. Thousands of fans left Old Trafford well before the final whistle, reflecting their frustration. Former United defender Gary Neville described the performance as 'disgusting.'
Jamie Redknapp, a former Tottenham midfielder, commented on the Sky Sports broadcast: 'United have been so abject, no confidence, no identity, they have been playing like the away team.' He added, 'It gets to a point where you feel for the manager. He looks completely out of his depth and is struggling to motivate.'
Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke scored additional goals for Spurs, who dominated the game from the start. United were reduced to 10 men when captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off in the 42nd minute for a high challenge on James Maddison. Ten Hag was particularly frustrated by Johnson's early goal, which was almost identical to one United conceded against Twente in a 1-1 Europa League draw just four nights earlier.
'We are very disappointed when you can see it again, a goal like this,' the Dutchman said. 'It shouldn't happen, and especially when you address it so loud and clear, how we have to deal with such situations.'
