Erik ten Hag has given his verdict on the penalty decision that seemingly changed the course of the game for Manchester United in their 3-0 loss to Manchester City.
Rasmus Hojlund was deemed to have fouled Rodri in the box and after a lengthy VAR intervention, Manchester City were awarded the penalty and Erling Haaland duly converted.
The decision, however, was a hotly contested one and it seemed to flip the game on its head after Manchester United’s decent start to the derby.
Erik ten Hag, who has received criticism for the manner in which United lost the game, has spoken about the decision that went against the Red Devils in the first half.
Ten Hag on decision
Speaking to Shamoon Hafez after the game, the former Ajax boss was asked about the decision and didn’t want to be drawn into the debate around the decision.
“The penalty changed the game. I don’t have a comment on it. I don’t have a comment,” Ten Hag said in the aftermath.
“We have to forget this game and recover for Wednesday.”
Recover is certainly one word for it as United’s struggles on the pitch, and the uncertainty off of it is making the situation, after such a promising year, toxic.
United’s struggles
Despite three wins in a row, the Red Devils have looked less than convincing in these performances and their struggles were exposed massively by City.
Things have to improve otherwise Ten Hag may well be sleepwalking into the beginning of the end of his days as a manager at Old Trafford.
Nobody is calling for the manager’s head yet but it was certainly worrying when fans were leaving one of the biggest home games of the season early.
Two years ago, it was a 5-0 defeat to Liverpool that was the beginning of the end for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and you wonder if this 3-0 defeat to City could prove to be similarly fatal.
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