Man Utd boss Ten Hag 'can't be bothered' with criticism

Stuart Telford

• 21 Apr 2024 09:00 BST
• 3 min read

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has fired back at those who have criticised his performance at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag's Man Utd tenure started well with a Carabao Cup win and third-place finish in the Premier League in his first season, but has struggled to recreate that success in the current campaign.

His choices in the transfer market have come under particularly close scrutiny: paying twice as much to Ajax for Antony as West Ham did for Mohammed Kudus hasn't looked shrewd with the Brazilian goalless in 25 Premier League outings this term.

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Ten Hag's position looks increasingly tenuous. United are only seventh in the table this year, 10 points off the European places, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's regime - and associated new ideas - isn't yet in full swing.

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Graham Potter and Zinedine Zidane are among those who have been linked with Ten Hag's job, but now the Dutchman has hit back.

"I look at this and can see it realistically," he said ahead of United's FA Cup semi-final with Coventry on Sunday. "So I see the nuance, some comments miss that, but I can't be bothered about it, can't go into emotions."

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Ten Hag is likely to play Casemiro in defence on Sunday with Harry Maguire the only fit centre-back, and Ten Hag says the club's injury crisis has played a role in their current standing.

"What concerns me is that in 18 months I have never had my favourite team on the pitch because the players are injured," he said. "One time was against Manchester City last season in the home game."

"That is my truth. And others can have a different truth. But I can't put energy in that."

Of that City game - a 2-1 win - David de Gea was unceremoniously dumped, Fred has left, while Raphael Varane, Christian Eriksen and Anthony Martial are at least three who have fallen out of favour.