Erik ten Hag insists he is no magician after Manchester United’s loss to Liverpool (Image: GETTY/WARNER BROS)
Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, has admitted that he can’t perform miracles at the club following a crushing defeat to Liverpool, stating: “I’m not Harry Potter.”
Liverpool’s Mo Salah single-handedly dismantled United with a goal and two assists at Old Trafford, later confessing uncertainty about his future.
Salah’s performance took his tally to 10 goals in his last seven games at Old Trafford, ensuring new manager Arne Slot’s perfect start to his Liverpool tenure continues.
The second consecutive loss of the Premier League season heaps more pressure on United’s Ten Hag, who defended his two-year stint at the club and vowed to improve the team’s performance.
Despite United languishing in 14th place with just three points, Ten Hag – who won the FA Cup in the last game of last season – said: “It will take time. It’s not like I’m Harry Potter. That’s what you have to acknowledge.
“Manuel Ugarte, our new signing, hasn’t played a single minute this season. He needs to build his fitness and then we have to integrate him into the team. I’m confident he’ll be a key player.
“But that will take a few weeks, maybe even months. Joshua Zirkzee has made significant progress in the last three or four weeks and I was very pleased with his performance today.”
The match’s star player, Salah, said to Sky Sports post-match: “This is my last year with the club and I want to enjoy it.
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“I came to the game thinking it could be my last time playing at Old Trafford. No one at the club has discussed contracts with me. It’s not up to me, it’s up to the club.”
Anfield boss Slot, when questioned about Salah’s current contract situation, responded: “At this moment he’s one of ours, I’m really happy with him being one of ours and he played really well.
“I don’t talk about contracts. He was impressive, like the first two games. But if you talk about an individual, you don’t do justice to the other ones.
“All the attention goes to Mo and Lucho [Luis Diaz] but that doesn’t do justice to the other nine and the ones who came in.”
Source: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1943086/Erik-ten-Hag-Harry-Potter-Man-Utd-Liverpool