Izuchukwu OkosiManchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes that a lack of belief by his players led to the humiliating 6-3 derby day defeat at Manchester City.
The defeat snapped a run of four successive wins for the Red Devils who at some point were in relegation places after losing their first two games of the season against Brighton and Brentford.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelErling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored a, pair of hat-tricks as City ran riot in the highest scoring Manchester derby.
Substitute Anthony Martial’s brace and an earlier strike by Antony ensured that United had some respectability to their loss.
“I also told the players (it was a) lack of belief,” manager Ten Hag said. “I’ve seen some highlights. It was obvious that we are defending not (on the) front foot, we let them play.
“We were, in possession, not brave enough, made technical skills mistakes, decision mistakes and then you get hammered.”
Fielding questions during the post match conference about professional footballers having belief, the Dutchman quipped: “I think often it’s the other way around.”
Explaining further, the former Ajax manager reiterated that his team had that belief in the last few games.
“So, for instance, in the last five games we bring that attitude on the pitch. We have a strong belief and convincement, we bring opponents problems.
“Today it was the other way around but I think it’s normal in our process that the pattern has to go up and I think I see clearly it goes up.
“But you will have setbacks during that process and we have to learn from it but point it clearly out.
United will next week focus on the UEFA Europa League
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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