beIN Sport pundit criticises Erik ten Hag for one key decision he made during loss to Copenhagen

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Former Paris Saint Germain left-back and pundit Didier Domi believes that Erik ten Hag got his substitutions wrong for Manchester United.

Erik ten Hag made a raft of substitutions throughout the second half for Manchester United as the Red Devils had to play 50 minutes of the game with 10 men following Marcus Rashford’s harsh sending-off.

Sofyan Amrabat was summoned at half-time for Christian Eriksen before Mason Mount was brought on for Rasmus Hojlund when the tide had turned in Copenhagen’s favour.

Former Newcastle defender Didier Domi has questioned why the Dutchman made certain substitutions in the game and it’s hard to disagree with the Frenchman’s assessment.

Domi on Ten Hag

“Amrabat came on at half-time for Eriksen but there were two wingers in Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes on the right, I think Ten Hag should have made a substitution way before,” Domi told beIN Sports.

“They had to make a substitution before that when it was 10 against 11 the pitch was stretched. I think bringing fresh legs for either of the wingers earlier would have been key for United.”

Ten Hag did look rather shell-shocked in the moments after the red card decision but he should have made his tactical tweaks much quicker to stop the tide from turning in Copenhagen’s favour.

Ten Hag’s substitutions

The initial half-time substitution seemed to work. Certainly, Amrabat brought the solidity and the calmness that was needed in the team after such a frantic first half.

However, the Hojlund substitution for Mount was truly the most bizarre change of the night and by some distance, too.

Hojlund was on a hat-trick and yes, he may well have not been fully fit as they try and ease him into the fold following his back injury, but to substitute him at such a crucial time was bizarre.

Also bringing on a midfielder for an attacker when the game was in such a chaotic state gave the impetus to the hosts to push on and find a winner.

Robbie Savage told TNT Sport on commentary: “It was a strange decision to bring on Mount on at number nine, with the pace of Martial [available].”

Ten Hag needs to look at the decisions he made because, despite VAR affecting the game for United, his decisions were part of the reason Manchester United could not hold on.