Despite the 2-1 loss to Nottingham Forest, Erik ten Hag expresses hope for Manchester United’s improvement after the New Year, citing the return of “many players” as a potential catalyst.
The team entered the Nottingham Forest match following a comeback victory against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Boxing Day.
In the 2023/24 season, Manchester United has faced a turbulent campaign marked by inconsistency, making it challenging to predict their performance from game to game. The Red Devils have struggled to maintain a stable and predictable form throughout the season.
Given Manchester United’s inconsistent form, it’s not surprising that they couldn’t build on their victory over Aston Villa, delivering yet another disappointing performance on the road on Saturday evening. The team’s struggles away from home continue to contribute to a challenging season.
Marcus Rashford seized an opportunity around ten minutes from the end, capitalising on a mistake by Matt Turner to equalise Nicolas Dominguez’s opener for Forest. However, the parity was short-lived, as just a few minutes later, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side exploited a counter-attack, and Morgan Gibbs-White fired the ball past Andre Onana from the edge of the box, securing a crucial 2-1 victory for the hosts.
Erik ten Hag, who was the second favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked ahead of Manchester United’s match against Forest, now faces heightened pressure as the team heads into the New Year. The recent performances and results have intensified scrutiny on the manager’s position at the club.
Ten Hag claimed in his post-game reaction: “The loss was unnecessary. We lost it in the first half. We weren’t energised enough or invested enough.”
“We have to make our performances consistent and have to do better. A game is 90 minutes and we have to invest from the first minute on.
“We are hopeful that many players will be back in the new year and they will strengthen the team and the squad.”