‘Absolutely a penalty’ - Erik Ten Hag fumes at spot-kick decision after ‘very good’ Manchester United performance
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Updated 19/08/2023 at 20:56 GMT
Erik ten Hag believes his Manchester United side should have had a penalty in their 2-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur when the ball struck Christian Romero’s hand following a shot from Alejandro Garnacho. The decision didn’t go the visitors' way and Spurs went on to win with a second-half Pape Sarr strike and a Lisandro Martinez own goal. “I don’t know why it’s not a penalty. Absolutely a penalty.”
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 19: Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag gets involved in a discussion with referee Michael Oliver after the match which resulted in a yellow card during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United a
Image credit: Eurosport
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was adamant his side should have had a penalty in a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
The incident occurred when the ball glanced off the right hand of Christian Romero as Alejandro Garnacho curled the ball towards goal, but despite a quick VAR check, nothing was given.
Penalties concerning Manchester United are a hot topic at the moment after Wolves were denied a spot kick in the last minute of their 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Monday night when goalkeeper Andre Onana clattered into Sasa Kalajdzic.
But Ten Hag felt it was his side on the wrong end of a crucial decision in the match against Spurs.
“I liked the first half, it was a very good performance from Manchester United in the first half, except we have to score,” he told Sky Sports. “We created good chances, we had a really good press on the ball.
“We let them run, we had good switches, we had many chances to score a goal, and we deserved a penalty.
“I don’t know why it’s not a penalty. Absolutely a penalty. He changes the direction of the ball, and he’s blocking [the goal], his hand is right above. But you have to accept it.”
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes had a golden chance to head the visitors in front in the first half but blazed a close-range header over the bar, and Ten Hag wants his side to be more clinical.
“Absolutely [it’s a turning point if Fernandes scores],” Ten Hag said. “The meaning of the first goal, firstly we quickly get three bookings - can't happen. We have to stay focussed and not get unnecessary bookings.
“And then we switch off, and in one attack they had two big chances and twice hit the bar. And the start of the second half was definitely no good. You have to stay on the front foot, it was totally unnecessary to concede that goal, and as I said, the meaning of the first goal - from that moment on, we didn’t collapse and we fought back but we didn’t score.”
In the opposite dugout, Ange Postecoglou enjoyed his first home match as Spurs boss and after the match, revealed the Tottenham faithful were only going to get one style of football from him.
“To be fair, that’s how I think I know anyway. I can’t set up a team any other way than what you see, I’ve done that my whole career,” he replied when asked if playing a “good style” of football was part of the brief when he joined the club.
“That's my niche, that’s where I feel most confident as a manager, that I can set up my teams to play that way.
“I’m hoping the club identified that when they brought me in because I wasn’t going to deliver anything else. I made it pretty clear that if I was appointed, this is the football that we're going to play
“This club has a history of wanting that kind of football. What that means I don’t really know, I think it means they want to win, and that’s what I want to do - I want to win.
“I want to build a team that’s going to be successful, but we’re going to be successful playing this way because it’s what I know.”
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