How Ten Hag punished Man Utd flops after Brentford battering

FT Desk

14 Aug 2022 10:30 CDT
3 min read

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag punished his players for their dismal defeat to Brentford by cancelling their day off on Sunday.

Article continues under the video

The Man Utd squad were due to have a day off on Sunday, as is often the policy the day after a weekend matchday.

However, according to the Times, Ten Hag was so furious with Man Utd’s shocking 4-0 loss on Saturday that he ordered all of his players into training.

The Man Utd senior squad travelled into the club’s Carrington training ground for an extra session.

🚨 Erik ten Hag has cancelled the planned day off for Manchester United players today.

After yesterday's embarrassment, he's told the squad to report to Carrington for an extra training session.

(Source: @hirstclass) pic.twitter.com/I7OBdMjYId
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 14, 2022

This is unlikely to have gone down well senior players like Cristiano Ronaldo, who failed to travel with the squad on their pre-season tour and went home early a fortnight ago during the friendly against Rayo Vallecano.

United were torn apart on Saturday as Brentford raced into a 4-0 lead in the first half, with David de Gea making two huge errors on the first two goals.

This result means that Man Utd find themselves bottom of the Premier League table after two matchdays with no points, one goal and six conceded.

They lost their opening game of the season last week, 2-1 at home to Brighton.

This has already put the pressure on manager Ten Hag, who only arrived this summer hoping to turn around the club’s flailing fortunes.

What did Ten Hag say after Brentford?

"They are good players, and have to take responsibility on the pitch, as a team and as individuals, and that’s what we didn’t do,” Ten Hag said after the game on Saturday.

“I asked them to play with belief and take responsibility for their performance, and that’s what they didn’t do.

“It’s only when we stick together and work hard that we will overcome that. You have to take belief on to the pitch for yourself and the team.

“Don’t get me wrong, the manager is responsible as well, he has the main responsibility, and I take that. And I will work on that. I have to give them belief, but they have to give it by themselves.”

Man Utd are hoping to sign Adrien Rabiot from Juventus in the next few days, before their third Premier League game of the season against Liverpool.

Read more about: Premier League, Man Utd