ERIK TEN HAG has been slammed by Manchester United fans for ruling his troops out of next season’s title race.
The Red Devils are a whopping 24 points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, although they never looked like mounting a serious title charge this campaign.
And Ten Hag has stunningly already dismissed a title tilt next season, saying: “This year we stand still but I think when everyone is available definitely we are competing for the top four.
“I’m confident of that. Although I have to say there are some teams.
“It is not anymore just a two-horse or three-horse race in the Premier League, there is Villa, there is Spurs, there is Newcastle.
“So many good teams – six or seven teams who all can compete. Chelsea – don’t forget them.
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“They are all competing for the top four and we are one of them but we are not in this moment in the position to compete for number one or number two. That is fact.”
Ten Hag’s admission didn’t go down well with many of the Old Trafford faithful, several of whom took to social media to vent their fury.
One United fan wrote on X: “It will be 3 years and about 600 million spent just for us to go backwards.”
Another said: “Next season hasn’t even started and he’s already given up on it.”
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Willy Kambwala wants to become rock at the back for Man Utd… but Erik ten Hag probably won’t be around to see it
By Ken Lawrence
ERIK TEN HAG insists he is still the right man to take Manchester United forward.
The Dutchman believes he can recapture their former glories, despite escaping for the second time in a row what could have been humiliation by Liverpool at the weekend.
And teen Willy Kambwala revealed his “passion” is to become a rock at the heart of United’s defence after making just his second start of the season against their bitter rivals.
United trailed 1-0 at half-time on Sunday but fought back to take a 2-1 lead before Mo Salah’s 84th-minute equaliser from the penalty spot.
Ten Hag was pleased with the second-half performance, declaring it “another signal and message for the future,” before adding, “the team and squad have high potential.”
Yet the Old Trafford chief sounds more and more like he has his finger stuck in a leaky dyke and does not think it is going to hold.
Comeback or not, United still threw away a lead for the third time in eight days following their 4-3 defeat to Chelsea and 1-1 draw with Brentford — both deep into injury time.
And his body language suggests he expects to be crossing it to go back to Holland with his P45 this summer
Click here to read Ken Lawrence’s comment piece in full.
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And another said: “That’s down to your signings and management.”
One remarked: “How can he say this and not be jailed after the amount he has spent.”
Another chimed in: “Embarrassing sack the fraud for lowering the standards massively.”
One furious Red Devil even claimed the gaffer is already “writing off next season”.
Despite overseeing a trophyless and disappointing season, Ten Hag fully expects to be at the helm of the United ship come the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
The former Ajax manager told Sky Sports earlier this month: “I don’t have any doubts.
“I’m just focusing on my job, focusing on this process, in this project.
“I really love to be here, I’m enjoying it. For me, it’s a challenge.”
He added: “It will not go always in the right way, it’s not going always the results in the way we want.
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“But I’m sure we’re in the right direction and we will get where we want to be.”
Manchester United will be back in action this afternoon, welcoming relegation battlers Burnley to Old Trafford.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
