Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has defended his team after a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Liverpool at Old Trafford, insisting that it’s too early to lose hope in the season.
Despite the loss, Ten Hag remains confident that his side can still compete for silverware, dismissing any notion that quick fixes or “magic” solutions exist.
Liverpool dominated the match, with Luis Diaz scoring twice within seven minutes in the first half. Mohamed Salah added a third goal shortly after the break, sealing a comfortable victory for the visitors.
The defeat was particularly disheartening for United fans, who feared a repeat of the 5-0 thrashing Liverpool handed them in the same fixture back in 2021.
Ten Hag’s starting lineup included six of his signings, making the loss even more frustrating for the Dutch manager. Among them was his latest acquisition, Manuel Ugarte, a £50.5 million midfielder from Uruguay. Although Ugarte was introduced to the fans before kick-off, he was not eligible to play, having been registered after Friday’s deadline.
United’s poor start to the season has seen them slip to 14th place in the Premier League, with just three points from their first three games. However, Ten Hag refused to dwell on the negatives, stressing the need for patience and time to integrate new players into the squad.
“It is not like I am Harry Potter,” Ten Hag remarked, emphasizing that expectations of instant success are unrealistic. “For three players it was their first start of the season. Manuel Ugarte did not play one minute—he needs to build his fitness. Then we have to build him into the team. I am sure he will contribute to our team. It will take a couple of weeks, maybe even a month. That is the same for a lot of players.”
One of the key issues during the match was the performance of striker Joshua Zirkzee, who had a mixed game. While he managed to create United’s best chances, his finishing left much to be desired, with one attempt going wide and another brilliantly saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker. Matthijs de Ligt, another of Ten Hag’s signings, struggled at the back alongside Lisandro Martinez, while young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was often outplayed by Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch.
Tensions flared during Ten Hag’s post-match press conference when the manager clashed with a journalist who suggested that United had been making the same mistakes for two years. Ten Hag defended his approach, asserting, “I have a different vision, otherwise we wouldn’t win trophies and beat bigger opponents.”
Acknowledging the pain of the defeat, Ten Hag said, “I don’t want to talk about positives today. This defeat hurts for us and our fans. It is the third game of the season. We have to build a new team. We will be fine but it is clear we have to improve.”
One of the most controversial moments of the match came when Ten Hag substituted veteran midfielder Casemiro at half-time, after the Brazilian was at fault for two of Liverpool’s goals. Casemiro’s errors led to Liverpool’s first goal when he gave the ball away to Gravenberch, and he was outmuscled by Diaz for the second. Ten Hag replaced him with 20-year-old Toby Collyer in an attempt to inject more energy into the midfield.
Rumors circulated on social media that Casemiro had left Old Trafford early, but Ten Hag was quick to dismiss these claims. “He didn’t leave the stadium at half-time,” the manager clarified. “I met him in the dressing room after the game. I took him off because we were 2-0 down against an opponent like Liverpool. We had to take risks because we wanted to bounce back and needed players in midfield who can cover the ground.”
Despite the setback, Ten Hag remains optimistic about the season ahead. “He [Casemiro] won everything in his career. I am sure he will keep contributing to our team,” Ten Hag said, expressing his confidence in the team’s ability to recover and challenge for trophies as the season progresses.