Several Manchester United players are growing weary of Erik ten Hag‘s criticism and believe the manager has favourites who he refuses to single out, reports claim.
United have crashed to four defeats from their last five games in all competitions and the pressure is building on Ten Hag as he struggles to end his side’s poor form.
A frustrated Ten Hag has openly taken aim at his squad’s habit of conceding sloppy goals this season and also rounded on them for failing to follow his tactics.
However, his ire is now said to have caused a potential rift inside United’s dressing room, with some players claiming the boss routinely picks on the same names.
On the other hand, Ten Hag has also been accused of being unprepared to criticise others despite them making similar errors, the Manchester Evening News has said.
Several Manchester United players are growing weary of criticism from boss Erik ten Hag
United have crashed to four defeats from their last five games after a poor start to the season
Antony’s absence is said to have left some of the squad struggling to carry out instructions
Though Ten Hag has been reluctant to name the players he believes are falling short in matches, Jadon Sancho has been frozen out due to poor displays in training.
The same report adds that certain players believe they have been placed in a difficult position as they look to execute their technical demands, with a feeling that the approach has been stunted due the absence of forward Antony creeping in.
Antony was recruited to fill the gap on the right wing but has been granted indefinite leave away from the side as he fights multiple domestic abuse allegations.
He denies any wrongdoing.
Having lost a senior left-footed attacker, the balance of Ten Hag’s team has suffered.
It has also been claimed that Ten Hag expected to be able to select Mason Greenwood, another left-footer, before United U-turned on their plans to reintroduce him into the first team set-up and loaned him out to LaLiga club Getafe.
Mason Mount was recruited from Chelsea in a deal worth around £60million this summer and could well be thrust into the right side of the frontline when fit.
After the defeat by Bayern Munich last time out, Ten Hag hit out at his defenders for ‘easy giveaways’ and demanded his stuttering players ‘sacrifice and suffer’.
‘[I’m] disappointed and when you score three goals in Munich, at the least you have to take a point and we didn’t,’ he told the media post-match. ‘And you have to look in the mirror because the goals were easy giveaways.
Ten Hag has regularly taken aim at his side’s habit of conceding sloppy goals during matches
United looked to set to reintegrate Mason Greenwood but U-turned and sent him out on loan
Jadon Sancho has been frozen out after poor training displays and questioning Ten Hag
United crashed to a 4-3 defeat by Bayern Munich in their dramatic Champions League opener
‘We were, in the first 25 minutes, better in the game and then that goal, it was so easy and it was not only Andre [Onana]. If you see how easy [Leroy] Sane is going through and that has to do with determination, you don’t let players through so easy.’
Ten Hag then added: ‘That is the point – we have to cross the line as an individual and as a team to win games because it started there.
‘That’s what I mean, you have to suffer, sacrifice in situations, to give everything and to stop that and only when we get that in are we going to win games.
‘Of course, he [Onana] knows he has to stop the ball but the way Sane came through can’t be. And the second goal; it’s almost similar over the other side. How easy players come through our box and to finish, it can’t be.
‘What you have seen on a very high level, it was against Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Brighton, all top-level teams, and we go head to head but they win.
‘We have to make our own luck and that has to do with determination, then you make your own luck otherwise you don’t get it. No one will bring you anything in football.’
United return to action against top-flight newcomers Burnley this weekend.
