Soccer

Erik Ten Hag defends Manchester United despite fourth consecutive game without scoring

‘We have issues. We have had many setbacks and injuries, etc. But the players on the pitch are good enough to win the game’

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Sat Dec 23 2023 - 18:20

Erik Ten Hag insists Manchester United have goals in them despite drawing another blank in a dispiriting 2-0 defeat at West Ham.

The Red Devils have now gone four matches without scoring for the first time since 1992 after another limp display.

But beleaguered boss Ten Hag said: “We have players who can do it. They’ve proved in the past they can do it.

“But we also have to acknowledge the fact that we didn’t do it as a team. We have to take responsibility. Football is about winning games and scoring goals.

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“We have issues. We have had many setbacks and injuries, etc. But the players on the pitch are good enough to win the game. Get into the box, make sure you’re there, make sure you have the willingness to arrive and willingness to score goals.

“They are capable of it. I know [Marcus] Rashford can score, [Rasmus] Hojlund can score, [Alejandro] Garnacho can score, Bruno [Fernandes] can score, Scott McTominay can score.

“We have scoring abilities in our squad and also from set plays. At this moment we’re not doing it. They have to stick together and believe in themselves that they can do it.

“To get where you have to be to score and that is to get in the box especially in the double six-yard box, you have to arrive as a striker.”

The stats make grim reading for United following a 13th defeat in 26 matches this season – the most they have lost before Christmas since 1931.

Manchester United shoots under pressure from Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Manchester United shoots under pressure from Lucas Paqueta of West Ham United. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

A 20th defeat in 2023 is also their worst tally in a calendar year since 1989.

Late goals from Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus secured victory for West Ham to lift them above United in the Premier League table.

Yet for 72 minutes two poor teams were cancelling each other out in a dreadful spectacle until Bowen broke the deadlock.

“I thought whoever scored the first goal would probably win the game and thankfully we got it,” admitted manager David Moyes.

West Ham are now back in and around the top six, an achievement Moyes feels is all the more impressive given the rebuild he has undertaken since selling Declan Rice to Arsenal.

“I think when you sell England’s best player at the moment and you’re still challenging… we’ve tried to pull another team together, we’ve made some signings, now at this time of the season we’ve got 30 points,” he added.

“It’s a brilliant number of points for us at West Ham because we’re not going to be a club rattling right at the top – we’ll try to, but until we keep growing and improving a bit every year that’s all we can do.

“I think we’re making pretty good strides and today was another good victory. We can do better but while we’re doing that we’re still picking up points and moving along.”