Manchester United legend Gary Neville has criticized manager Eric ten Haag’s tactics.
The Red Devils lost 1-2 to Fulham in the 26th round of the 2023-24 Premier League (PL) season at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, at 0:00 a.m. ET on Friday. The loss left United with 45 points and a fifth-place finish.
It was their first defeat of 2024. United had a terrible first half of the season, plagued by injuries and poor performances from key players and squad controversy, but they started 2024 by producing results and climbing the standings. Since their 2-0 FA Cup win over Wigan on January 8, United had won five and drawn one of their last six games and were on a roll, especially in the league, where they had won four straight.
But something has gone wrong recently. Rasmus “The Cannon” Hojlund, who was on a goal-scoring streak, went down with an injury, leaving a huge hole in the attacking lineup. In response, coach Eric ten Haag introduced rookie striker Forson into the attacking lineup, forming a front three with Rashford, Fernandez, and Garnacho.
Despite the changes, United’s decisiveness was lacking: they had 21 shots on goal on the day, nine on target, but only one goal. Fulham, on the other hand, had 17 shots, five on target, and two goals.
The attacking lineup to fill the void left by Hoi Loon was lackluster. Rashford, Garnacho, and Fernandez all played full time but had no points to show for it, while Forson was subbed off after failing to make an impact.
The ‘captain’ Fernandez’s lack of form was particularly frustrating. The Manchester Evening News released the ratings for United’s players against Fulham, with Fernandes and Forson receiving the lowest ratings of three. “He was poor against Luton, and he was poor again. His recklessness with the ball was exasperating at times,” the publication said.
Despite the disappointing defeat, Ten Haag was pleased with his side. According to Eredivisie transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, he said: “The team showed the 카지노 character to fight back. We deserved to equalize (the score) and we could have won. We showed amazing qualities and character. People have to look at the bigger picture. The bigger picture is being painted well.”
However, the fans’ reaction was cold. “The bigger picture is that we came back with a terrible performance,” criticized one fan in response to Ten Haag’s comments. “Is this the bigger picture?” another sarcastically asked, posting a table showing United in sixth place. These were not the only negative reactions.
Neville had a similar reaction. “People who watch United play, whether they’re fans or not, don’t know what they’re trying to do every week, and that’s the problem,” Neville said. That’s the problem,” he said, criticizing Van Gaal’s tactical ability.