"There are still many things to play for" - Manchester United boss Ten Hag makes surprising claim after finishing bottom of Champions League group
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes there are other honors to fight for after disappointingly finishing last in Group A of the UEFA Champions League.
The Red Devils lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich at Old Trafford on Tuesday (December 12) in their final group match of the Champions League campaign. Ultimately, the Premier League side managed just four points from six fixtures to finish 12 points behind leaders Bayern Munich.
United finished a point behind Turkish club Galatasaray and four adrift of Copenhagen, who managed to qualify for the knockouts. Addressing his team's run in Europe's highest club competition, Ten Hag said (via Manchester Evening News):
"There are still many things to play for and now we can focus, of course, on the Premier League. So we have to give every effort in to be in the top four and next year be back in Champions League and then of course, we have the FA Cup, so there are so many things to play for."
Manchester United have been far from convincing in the Premier League. They're sitting sixth in the English top flight with 27 points, six behind fourth-placed Manchester City.
On the Red Devils' Champions League campaign, Ten Hag added:
"We also had very good spells in games but we have to do better. The facts are we do not have enough points, we are disappointed as a group. As a manager, I am disappointed. We should have done better."
Manchester United have lost four games in a row across competitions. It could get worse when they travel to Anfield for a Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday (December 17).
Pundit calls for Erik ten Hag sacking to save Manchester United's season
Pundit Danny Murphy believes Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag needs to be handed the sack in order to save the Red Devils' campaign. This season, the Dutch tactician has recorded 12 losses across competitions while managing just 11 wins.
Ten Hag took over at Old Trafford in the summer of 2022, and his only triumph was last season's Carabao Cup win. Addressing the club's season so far, Murphy wrote in his column for The Mail (via The People's Person):
“If United want to dine at English football’s top table again, Ten Hag is not the manager to take them there."
Since joining Manchester United, Ten Hag has managed 86 matches, from which he has won 53 and lost 24. The Red Devils are also out of the Carabao Cup this season after losing 3-0 to Newcastle United in early November.