Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel has highlighted one major error made by Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag in yesterday’s 2-1 defeat away to Nottingham Forest.
It was another disappointing result for Man Utd in this difficult season, with two second half goals from Forest making it nine league defeats already for Ten Hag’s side this term.
It remains to be seen if United can recover from this, with fans likely to be losing patience with Ten Hag, even if he earned praise for what he did with this side last season, as he guided them back into the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup.
It seems there are some justifiable questions being asked about the Dutch tactician, however, with Schmeichel highlighting his decision to take Kobbie Mainoo off against Forest as one that had a clear effect on the game.
Mainoo has impressed since coming into the United first-team, and while it’s only fair that Ten Hag gets some credit for giving the youngster a chance, it’s also a bit hard to understand why he was removed in yesterday’s match.
Schmeichel highlighted this as a key moment that Ten Hag got wrong.
“He (Ten Hag)makes a substitution I think that has a really big effect on the game,” the former MUFC goalkeeper told Premier League Productions, as quoted by the Metro.
“Yes, I said this before I can understand you want McTominay on, but not for the guy you take off.
“The guy you take off Mainoo is such a good player and he played alright. He was controlling that part of the pitch very, very well.”
He added: “There was no need to make that change when you have other players on the pitch that are doing absolutely nothing for you. I question the substitution and what that signals to the rest of the team.”
United surely need to make more use of Mainoo, who looks a superb young talent with a big future in the game, while so many of the team’s other, more senior midfield players have struggled to live up to expectations.