Manchester United: Erik Ten Hag Criticized After Lacklustre Preseason Defeat

• Premier League side, Manchester United, kicked off their 2024/25 pre-season campaign against Norwegian outfit, Rosenborg
• Erik ten Hag’s side, in what looks like a continuation of their lacklustre form, recorded another disappointing defeat
• Fans have taken to social media to express their frustrations with the Dutch manager in the aftermath of the loss to Rosenborg

Manchester United's 2024/25 season began on a disappointing note with a defeat to Rosenborg.

Erik ten Hag’s side, featuring five first-team regulars from last season, lost by a last-minute goal by Noah Holm.

Though it was only a friendly match, the result drew significant criticism from both Ten Hag and the fans, particularly since the Premier League team conceded more than 20 shots during the game, according to data from FotMob.

In his post-match press conference as reported by TalkSport, the Dutch manager expressed his dissatisfaction with his team's overall approach to the opening fixture of the new season.

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“Our performance as a team is by far not good enough. This is not the standard for top football," the 54-year-old said, as reported by talkSport. "We can’t be match fit at this moment. They have a much higher fitness level, but we are Manchester United. We must perform better.”

Following the manager's comments, fans and supporters took to social media to voice their displeasure with the team's performance.

Fans’ reaction to Man United’s defeat

@ChrisSweetman6, clearly unimpressed with the team’s performance, stated:

"Such a disgusting defeat."

@FFW_AndyShore, incredulous at what he witnessed, wrote:

“Is this from last season or this season?! Seems indistinguishable…”

@esmooth28, taking a jab at the club, posted:

“ United. Been irrelevant for a long time.”

@footyandformula, fed up with the excuses and performances under Ten Hag, commented:

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“Ah well, Southgate will soon be available to replace ten Hag.”

Manchester United have a chance to restore their fans' faith and trust in their next fixture against Scottish powerhouse Rangers, slated for July 20.

Ten Hag’s side is also expected to welcome back a few first-team players ahead of their second pre-season match.

Notorious ‘Curses’ in Football

Briefly News in another report, detailed that football can be an unpredictable sport, where even hard work and consistency do not always guarantee the desired results.

Often, players find themselves thrust into the spotlight due to an injury to a key teammate and ride this stroke of fortune to win major titles, even with limited participation.

Source: TUKO.co.ke