Erik ten Hag: ‘This was our the worst defeat of the season’

Manchester United’s players, including Christian Eriksen and Alejandro Garnacho, looked shame-faced as they applauded the travelling fans at Selhurst Park – PA/Zac Goodwin

Erik ten Hag said Manchester United’s humiliation at Crystal Palace marked a new low in their campaign as he accused his players of failing to follow his “script” or stick to his “rules”.

United’s dismal season worsened with a dreadful 4-0 defeat at Selhurst Park, which will increase the mounting pressure on the manager as he fights to stay in his job beyond this campaign.

Ten Hag said his players had “let each other down” as they were ripped apart by a hugely impressive Palace side, for whom Michael Olise produced a wonderful individual performance.

“It was definitely the worst defeat [of the season],” said Ten Hag. “We should have done better. We are aware as a team performance, we were not correct, making big mistakes and not following the plan and the script. And the rules we have.

“Of course there were also individual mistakes but then we should cover each other, which we didn’t do. We let each other down.”

Asked if this was a new low point of the season, Ten Hag said: “Yes. It was very poor how we gave the goals away, especially when we prepared the team.

“This is the fourth defeat in 2024. So far you have always seen a team that was playing and following the script. That is why we didn’t have a lot of wins, but we were hard to beat. Today we were easy to beat.”

United’s problems were not helped by their lengthy injury list, which now includes both Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire. They were forced to field a patched-up defence, in which Casemiro endured a terrible evening. Telegraph Sport columnist Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports, said Casemiro’s performance was “embarrassing”.

Asked about his own position, Ten Hag insisted he is still the man to take United forward, provided his injury crisis eases up. “Absolutely, if we have the right players available,” he said. “[Today] we miss almost the whole back line, then we have problems.

“I will keep fighting. I prepared the team in the best way I could, it wasn’t good enough, I take responsibility for that.”

United have now conceded 81 goals in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1976-77. They have lost 13 Premier League matches over the course of the campaign, a club record.

Oliver Glasner said his Palace side could have played even better. “I think the first-half performance wasn’t our top level,” he said. “It was an open game in the first half but we were efficient.

“We didn’t give them any space in defence [after the break]. Second half was really good but first half we could do better.”

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