Erik ten Hag insists Manchester United’s players are ‘very strong physically and mentally’… before watching them fall to defeat at West Ham in their 57th game of the season
Erik ten Hag insisted his Manchester United players remain ‘very strong physically and mentally’ amid a hectic schedule – before watching them lose 1-0 at West Ham.
The game at the London Stadium was United’s 57th game in a hugely exhausting and demanding season and Ten Hag insisted his team have done ‘really well’ despite being at a ‘major disadvantage’.
Unfortunately, United then turned in a poor performance at the London Stadium as goalkeeper David de Gea reeled in a shot from Said Benrahma to split the teams.
It was United’s second defeat of the week after they went down 1-0 in Brighton on Thursday night.
“It has already had an impact on the whole season and we are doing quite well in the schedule – not quite well, but really well,” the Dutchman told the club’s official website.
Erik ten Hag says Man United are at a disadvantage due to match congestion and it seemed to show when they lost 1-0 to West Ham on Sunday night
The United player looked thoroughly exhausted as they lost in their 57th game of a long season
Kepeer David de Gea made a mistake for the decisive goal when Said Benrahma just missed him with a shot
“We are lagging far behind others. West Ham United is a team that, I think, has a worse schedule than us [do] But we’ve shown all season that we can deal with that.
“We are very strong physically and mentally.”
A whirlwind season has seen United win their first trophy in six years after beating Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final in February.
But Ten Hag’s side were dumped out of the Europa League in the quarter-finals after a 3-0 second leg defeat to Sevilla last month.
However, they are still in the running for a second domestic trophy when they take on rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final in June.
The result at West Ham keeps Liverpool in with a cry of pinching United’s Champions League place for next season.
Jurgen Klopp’s side, who beat Brentford on Saturday, are only a point behind, although United still have a game in hand.