If the results of the Liverpool annihilation were insufficient, the 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace would be the tip of the iceberg for more worries for the Manchester United manager as pressure mounted against the team’s performance.
With another lackluster start to the 2024-25 season, United is outside the top 10 clubs in the Premier League, with mediocre results.
The fans with Man UTD tickets are fuming and demanding answers.
The real question around this equation is whether United has the processes and the systems set up for them to succeed.
It is going to be another long autumn for those with Man UTD tickets, as they will need quite a bit of patience to see this through.
Erik Ten Hag Refutes Rashford Drop
On a more serious note, manager Erik ten Hag took a bold call to leave in-form Marcus Rashford out of the starting XI for Crystal Palace, a clash that eventually ended up in a draw.
All with Man Utd tickets were fuming on social media, questioning the reasoning for the drop.
Erik ten Hag has responded to “crazy” claims that Marcus Rashford was dropped for Manchester United’s 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The in-form forward started the match from the bench and came on as a substitute in the 61st minute, despite scoring in United’s 3-0 win over Southampton and grabbing a brace against Barnsley in their midweek League Cup win.
Rashford has started every other game this campaign, including a win over Fulham and defeats against Brighton and Liverpool.
In a very inconsistent Manchester United outfit, Rashford looked to be the playmaker who was keeping the team afloat.
But after it was suggested that the England star had been dropped ahead of the Red Devils match against Palace, Ten Hag said it was “just rotation.”
“I have already heard speculation from some pundits. That is crazy,” the United boss said after the match. “I would almost say that, as a person, you are not okay when you bring such speculation if you don’t know.
“This is just rotation. We have many games to cover.
We have more than a starting 11 players. If the players perform, we will give them their chances. Finally, we will find out if the better players will play more.
“This has nothing to do. I’m very happy with Marcus, with everything. With his offensive defending part, he scores at this moment; he performs very well. So there is nothing to do with it: he was on the bench, just rotation.”
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At a time when Manchester United desperately needed to get out of their rough patch in the Premier League, the fans with Man Utd tickets asked if it was the time to experiment.
Ten Hag started with Alejandro Garnacho in Rashford’s usual left-sided position at Selhurst Park.
Joshua Zirkzee started up front – where Rashford played against Barnsley – with captain Bruno Fernandes in the hole and Amad Diallo deployed out on the right as United labored through their third winless game.
“I have to say Amad is playing very good,” Ten Hag added. “Garnacho, in almost all the games so far apart from maybe Liverpool, has had end product.
“We have to play them as well.”
Antony Situation
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says Brazil winger Antony has to “earn the right” to play for the club.
An £82m signing from Ajax in 2022, Antony is the second-most expensive player in United’s history behind Paul Pogba.
However, he scored just five goals and three assists in 55 Premier League appearances, and last season, he contributed a single goal and one assist as United finished eighth.
The 24-year-old has only had a minute of competitive action this season, at Brighton last month, as Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and Amad Diallo have been chosen ahead of him.
Antony will hope to be more involved in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie with Barnsley, but Ten Hag says the player is in charge of his destiny.
“He’s impatient,” said the United manager. “He wants to play.
“But in top football, there are laws. You pick the team with the most chance to win the game, the one with the best dynamic and chemistry. Players have to fight for their positions.”
Rashford, Garnacho, and Amad scored this season, which increased the pressure on Antony, who was linked with the Turkish club Fenerbahce before the transfer window closed.
“The other players are doing so well – they’re contributing,” said Ten Hag. “He has to get over them. He has to earn the right in training.”
On Tuesday’s cup game against Barnsley at Old Trafford, Ten Hag added: “You will see what the line-up will be.
Fans have continuously shown displeasure around the former Ajax forward, whose contributions have been next to nothing. However, if he wants to make a turnaround and impress those with Man UTD tickets, he will need to bring in a far better game in the upcoming games when he gets time.
Management Trusts Ten Hag, but for How Long?
The Dutch manager was expected to be sacked last season, but the club hierarchy decided to keep their faith in him after he won the FA Cup against Manchester City.
Despite a poor start to the current season, the Manchester United hierarchy is unwilling to rush into any decision regarding the manager. Ten Hag seems to have the time to turn things around at Old Trafford. However, he needs to make amends quickly to keep his job.
According to Football Insider, the four key figures who will decide the Dutchman’s future are Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada, Jason Wilcox, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The report claims that they were the chief decision-makers in the summer when Manchester United decided to persist with Ten Hag and that they remain confident that he is the right man for the job.
