ERIK TEN HAG faced yet another defeat as he took charge of his old club FC Utrecht in a testimonial match on Sunday.
It follows Manchester United’s recent losses to Liverpool and Brighton, that have added to the pressure on the Dutch boss.
The match at Utrecht was organised to honour club icon Mark van der Maarel, who recently retired after a glittering 15-year stint at the Galgenwaard Stadium.
Van der Maarel, 35, spent his entire professional career with the club, making him a popular figure among fans and team-mates alike.
The testimonial match featured a team of current Utrecht players against a squad of former players.
Ten Hag agreed to take the team of former Utrecht players for the clash at his old club, who he played one season for in 1995 before returning to manage for two years in 2015.
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The match provided the perfect chance for Ten Hag to get back to winning before he clocks back on to the day job at Carrington early next week.
Centre back Van de Maarel, who had to wait until just before the end of the match to score, made the final result 2-1 with a late goal.
Despite his best efforts, Ten Hag’s team lost the match with Urby Emanuelson and Ruud Boymans scoring for the opposition
After the defeat Ten Hag praised Van der Maarel, saying, “If you stay at this club for so long, you are a character. He has so deserved this.”
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Van der Maarel played 397 official matches for Utrecht after making his debut in 2009 for the Eredivisie side.
And is now third on the club’s all-time list of most games played.
Meanwhile, the defeat adds to a challenging period for Ten Hag, who has been under scrutiny following United’s recent performances.
The Red Devils suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on August 24 and a 3-0 loss to Liverpool on September 1.
They next face Southampton away on September 14 where Ten Hag will hope to get his side back on track.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
