Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag admits 'absolute truth' after heavy Liverpool loss

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has admitted that his forwards need to be more ruthless. Ten Hag labelled it an “absolute truth” that rivals Liverpool were just far more clinical than his team on Sunday.

The Red Devils were comfortably beaten 3-0 by the Reds to conclude their pre-season tour of the United States on a sour note. Fabio Carvalho, Curtis Jones and Kostas Tsimikas were all on the score-sheet for Arne Slot’s side in Columbia, South Carolina.

Despite the scoreline, there were plenty of positives for Ten Hag to take away from his side’s performance, especially as they enjoyed the better share of opportunities but lacked a clinical edge in the final third.

United were without a natural No.9 for the clash with their bitter rivals, with Jadon Sancho tasked with leading the line for his side whilst Rasmus Hojlund is sidelined with an injury. Marcus Rashford was favoured on the left-wing rather than through the middle.

Ten Hag was fairly pleased with his team’s performance when speaking after the match, though rued United’s lack of ruthlessness. He explained: “Liverpool played well and took their chances. That is the absolute truth.

“We also created good chances, but we didn’t take them. We need to be more clinical there and efficient. I think in the end it’s maybe fatigue.

“We’ve been here for 12 or 13 days. In the end it was a tough game and maybe you miss the freshness and don’t have the power to be clinical.

“We created many chances and I would be concerned if we didn’t create chances. I’m pleased with the way we created chances out of open play, but also from good pressing situations and good counter-pressing situations.”

With Hojlund expected to miss the first few weeks of the 2024/25, Ten Hag will be hoping that Joshua Zirkzee can hit the ground running at Old Trafford.

The Netherlands international was signed from Bologna earlier this summer but is yet to make his debut for the club, though Ten Hag does not feel that he is short of options in the final third.

He explained: “Joshua Zirkzee, he is coming in, he has started training, but also consider that he is not so long in training, so that will take time, and he has to adapt to English football and our way of playing as well.

“But there is also, of course, Jadon, as a striker. We know he can play in wide areas, but also as a false striker, he’s an option. I think that Marcus has done it before and he can do it, and it’s definitely an option.

“But I think he is most productive from the left, starting wide and coming inside. So when he can arrive there, he is most effective. But we have other options. We have Bruno Fernandes who can play as a striker as well.”