Erik Ten Hag Says Manchester United Need To Change Their Mentality

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said his players need to quickly change their mentality if they want to win trophies this season.

The Dutchman was frustrated to see his side concede a goal in the final minute of normal time to lose 3-2 to Arsenal at the Emirates stadium on Sunday afternoon.

“Maybe in the next couple of hours we realise we are in a good position, realise we are in a good development, a good process, but at this moment I am annoyed,” Ten Hag said.

“I told the players if you want to win trophies, titles, we have to change our mentality because it’s not possible you are in a top game, you’re making three such big mistakes where you concede goals. Especially the last goal, you have to feel the game on that point.”

“A point was the maximum and then you have to take the point and you can’t give such a goal away like we did on top level. Then you can’t win trophies.”

“I think it changes with coaching, I think we can change that, we have already seen how the mentality from the players has changed over the last couple of months but we also have to notice today we have a way to go to be on top level.”

United took the lead through Marcus Rashford in the first half, but then fell behind to goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka either side of half-time. Lisandro Martinez looked to have earned a point for United before Nketiah struck again in the 89th minute to hand Ten Hag his first defeat in the Premier League for more than two months.

”You have to defend better,” Ten Hag said. “You make mistakes and then it is like a pack of cards. In this situation, it is something we have to avoid, the same as the first two goals when you start the game and you come up. It was too easy to give the goal at 1-1 away.”

“When you are in the game and at 1-0 you have to realise that more spaces will come. We have to learn these lessons if we want to come here and beat these big teams.”

Ten Hag was particularly frustrated as United had already conceded a goal in added time to draw 1-1 at Crystal Palace four days earlier. ”I think the two games head-to-head [against Arsenal and Crystal Palace], they were really close. It is hard to accept that in the final stages of the game you lose and this can’t happen.”

“We have to face that, we have to learn lessons, and that we are going to make mistakes as I think all three goals were avoidable. Normally we are better in those situations.”

In the aftermath of United’s 2-1 win over Manchester City last weekend it had appeared they were on the verge of launching a bid for the Premier League title, but after taking just one point from their next two games this challenge looks to have already ended.

”We never talked about [the title] …That is from the people around us and the fans and we just want to win every game,” Ten Hag said. “We showed that today, as we were brave, but then you see we created chances. As I said, if you want to win trophies, you cannot make those mistakes like we did tonight.”