Manchester United boss Ten Hag admits team 'in a bad place'

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ROB DAWSON via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
November 1, 2023, 8:09 PM ET
3 min read

Erik ten Hag admitted his Manchester United team are "in a bad place" after another humiliating defeat to Newcastle United, but insisted he's "a fighter" as questions mount about his job at Old Trafford.

United lost 3-0 at Old Trafford for the second time in four days as Newcastle cruised into the quarterfinals of the Carabao Cup despite manager Eddie Howe making eight changes to his team.

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The Dutch coach, who won three league titles with Ajax, was mocked by Newcastle's fans throughout the game as they chanted that he would be fired in the morning. While there has been no suggestion Ten Hag's position is under threat, United's poor form is of growing concern.

"I am a fighter," Ten Hag said in his postmatch news conference. "I understand it when the results are not there it is also a logical process that they are questioning that. But I am confident I can do it.

"At all my clubs I have done it and also last year here I did it as well, but at this moment we are in a bad place."

After losing 3-0 at home to Manchester City on Sunday, United have now lost back-to-back games at Old Trafford by three or more goals for the first time since 1962 and have lost five of their first 10 home games in a season for the first time since 1930.

Miguel Almirón, Lewis Hall and Joe Willock got the goals for a much-changed Newcastle team while United could only muster two shots on target.

"It is below the standards everyone expects from Manchester United," added Ten Hag. "It is not good enough by far. We have to put it right. I take responsibility for it. It is my team and they are not performing. I have to share it with my players, but I am responsible.

"As a team we are not good enough and whatever the reasons are, it is no space for excuses. We have to do things better and we have to raise our standards because otherwise you never get the right levels and performance and never get the results."

Manchester United beat Newcastle in the final of the Carabao Cup last year, so the result was a measure of revenge for Howe's side, which will go on to face Chelsea in the quarterfinals.