- Manchester United have lost six out of their opening ten games this season
- United’s win percentage under Erik ten Hag has dropped since their cup win
- Listen to the latest episode of Mail Sport’s podcast ‘It’s All Kicking Off!’
Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United are struggling to ‘survive’ in key moments of games after losing six of their first 10 games this season.
United face Brentford at Old Trafford on Saturday on the back of their worst start in 37 years following back-to-back defats against Crystal Palace and Galatasaray.
Ten Hag stressed the importance of communication among his players to avoid the kind of lapses that are being punished by opponents. United have shipped 18 goals, the most at this stage of the season since 1966.
‘Consistency, that is the problem we are struggling with,’ pinpointed Ten Hag. ‘In parts of the game, I will say in big parts of the game, we do a lot of things right but then there are moments where we are struggling and in such moments we can’t survive.
‘In this moment, you have to do the right things, so be consistent and do the job, be consistent in the communication and when you do that you keep the right organisation and do it like before.
Erik ten Hag believes Manchester United are struggling to survive in key moments of games
The Red Devils twice threw away the lead during their 3-2 defeat at home to Galatasaray
Ten Hag has called for better communication and consistency among his United players
‘So definitely, you can mark such a moment as when we score a goal or concede a goal and when decisive moments go against us, we lose a bit as a team. Over big parts in 95 per cent of the game, we are a team, so keep going all the way through and we have to step up.’
Referring to a crippling injury list this season, Ten Hag added: ‘When you have to make changes almost every game, a little bit less and 99 per cent in top football is a lot. Then you make mistakes as a team when an opponent takes benefit of it.
‘We have been talking in the last days about communication. We worked a lot on it. We need to be on the same page, communication and well organised and then it’s the player on the right spot to make the right decisions.’
United’s win percentage before winning the Carabao Cup in February was 69 per cent but has dropped to 50 per cent since then.
Asked if there has been a hangover, Ten Hag replied: ‘It’s the fact. We dropped levels and we fight against so we have to get back to those levels. There are reasons for that, but still it’s not acceptable and we have to fight against it.
‘Every team we put out has to be on one page and the routines are not always there. They have a good foundation in the way they play, keep the foundation, support each other and we will do better.’
Manchester United’s win percentage before winning the Carabao Cup in February was 69 per cent and it has dropped to 50 per cent since then
