Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, cannot seem to buy a win these days.
This season, the Red Devils have won only two matches and drawn one. They sit in 11th place ahead of the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on Super Sunday.
In the last week, Ten Hag’s men have recorded back-to-back wins – a 0-0 at Crystal Palace in the Premier League and 1-1 at home against Twente.
This has undoubtedly left the Dutchman under intense pressure with the October international week looming.
It is a situation he is well aware of.
“Yeah, first of all, respect the criticism,” Ten Hag said ahead of the game.
“There are many. You can have an opinion about football, when you are in a job, you have to deal with this. But I can’t take every criticism into account.
“I don’t read, of course, all the criticism, not even possible, but I don’t want either to know.
“It’s about: I need to know some, and some are very good advices… but for me, it’s stay clinical, and see where the team is, which areas we have to improve.
“Stay also methodical, that you guide the team in the right pathway, and make sure you make the right steps to get the best out of the team.”
After Spurs, United are away to FC Porto in the Europa League and then travel to Aston Villa in the Premier League next weekend.
It is no doubt a testing week for United.
And it starts with Tottenham, who look to be in decent form, ahead of the trip to Trafford.
Ange Postecoglou’s team beat Brentford at home last weekend after conceding in the first minute and then thrashed Qarabag 3-0 in the Europa League with 10 men.
Sunday’s fixture is a game between 11th and 10th.
Both teams and both managers need a win. A draw won’t do. Especially with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea threatening to break away.
The Red Devils have invested heavily since Ten Hag was appointed manager back in July 2022, spending around £560m across the three summer transfer windows he has had in charge
Ten Hag was backed again this summer and although he won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in two years, more is expected of him this term.
