“I don’t see where they can improve” – Arsene Wenger delivers worrying Manchester United verdict
Arsene Wenger has given a grim verdict of Manchester United's current situation following their disappointing 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.
The Red Devils were easily beaten by their cross-city rivals on Sunday (October 29). It was a miserable afternoon for Erik ten Hag's men who have now lost five of 10 games and will be eighth in the league in November.
Wenger questioned whether Manchester United can improve and has concerns about their team spirit. He told beIN Sports (via UtdDistrict):
"I don't see where they can improve, basically. This team has lost confidence, quality and even spirit today. I would say it was not a great fighting spirit from Manchester United, on top of that."
The pressure is growing on Ten Hag following his side's defeat in the Manchester derby. They have also made a poor start to their UEFA Champions League campaign, losing two of three games.
Confidence is low at United and City blew them away with an impressive performance at Old Trafford. Erling Haaland grabbed a brace while Phil Foden also netted in a comfortable win for Pep Guardiola's men.
Erik ten Hag explains why he's not implemented his Ajax philosophy at Manchester United
Ten Hag was appointed Manchester United manager in June 2022 following a stellar spell with Ajax in the Eredivisie. The Dutch coach earned plaudits for his possession-based philosophy that caused major upsets in the Champions League. One of those was a 5-3 aggregate win against Real Madrid in the 2018-19 Champions League last 16.
However, the Red Devils aren't playing this way and many ponder why Ten Hag is failing to get his troops playing the attractive style. He's explained why this is by suggesting he doesn't have the same profile of players, telling Viaplay (via 90min):
"We will never play the football we played at Ajax here. I now have other players, that's not why I came here. The player material you have determines how you will play. That's why we play here in a different way than I did at Ajax. That will have to be the case, because I can't play the same way here."
Manchester United are renowned for their attacking setup, with wingers being vital over the years. The likes of Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham come to mind.
Ten Hag alluded to wanting to play with a more direct approach at Old Trafford:
"That is not in the DNA of Manchester United at all. The football at Ajax is very typical, here we will play much more directly. We also have the players for that, especially at the forefront."
Fans are growing frustrated with the Red Devils' performances this season as they aren't playing an exciting brand of football. Ten Hag has dealt with many injury issues but there hasn't been a sign of progression from last season.